Tomorrow
by Kushinada Uzumaki
Summary: AU; Fem!Harry. One choice can change the life of two children of prophecy. When Petunia sends her niece, Reika 'Reia' Potter to their distant cousins in the Elemental Nations she changes the future of two worlds. How exactly will the Wizardry World handle a Girl-Who-Lived trained as a Kunoichi, and how will Naruto's life change now that he has someone who doesn't care what the...
1. Prologue: Beyond The Barrier

**AN: So, I try not to upload new stories while working on others, but I usually don't have the self control when plot bunnies run wild. **

**I actually I have a few more which may pop up within the next few weeks. I will still focus on the stories I've promised, and randomly on my older stories. This is one of my older projects which has sat on my website for a while. For more information on it my website is linked on my profile. **

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**Tomorrow.**

**Prologue: Beyond The Barrier.**

Even after everything, she couldn't do it.

Petunia Dursley nee Evans couldn't leave her sister's daughter at an orphanage – or ditch her somewhere as Vernon had the nerve to suggest. That left her with two options.

One, she could raise her niece herself, but she'd long since vetoed this. No matter what the old wizards letter had said, she couldn't bare to raise Lily's daughter. That left the second option, the one that looked better and better every second; her only other living relatives, unfortunately it wasn't easy to get entry into the Hidden Continents.

Petunia liked to pretend her family was completely normal, but even before Lily turned out to be a witch, of all things, she'd known this wasn't the case.

Her great-great-grandmother was a Kunoichi from the Hidden Lands; Tsubaki Haruno, or Camellia Evans as she'd changed her name after she'd married Petunia's great-great grandfather. It had been so many generations since then one would be hard pressed to realize there was any sort of oriental blood in Petunia or her sister.

Lily had inherited their many times grandmother's green eyes though, even if they were a shade brighter, and the red hair was a much darker mutation of the strange dark pink hair of their grandmother Haruno. It was something Lily shared with their father, Henry Evans, who she'd taken greatly after.

Petunia looked more like her mother's side of the family, the dirty blonde hair and sort of dull blue eyes. Baby Reika greatly resembled Lily, taking after the Haruno roots with a beautiful shade of emerald green eyes like Lily's and dark red hair.

Her fair skin and even the shape of her eyes were like Lily, and faintly hinted at her oriental roots, as distant as they were. Otherwise she took after the man Lily married, James Potter. The shape of her face was a bit more pointed, with more aristocratic features. High cheek bones, and a small up-turned nose,

When she was older it would be more obvious.

The whole point though was that she needed someone who could truly care for the girl. Kizashi Haruno was there only living relative, her fourth cousin (fourth cousin, once removed in Reika's case). Distant, but close enough.

Maybe she was also being petty, the letter that man left explained a lot, but she read between the lines, what he wasn't saying.

She didn't trust Albus Dumbledore and his greater good. She would do what was best, what she felt was best for Reika. Kizashi would be the best protection seeing as he lived in a place magic was hard pressed to pass into.

She highly doubted anyone but those stationed outside the barrier knew of the Hidden Continents. Her grandfather would tell her and Lily stories his father had told him but she'd never really understood the mechanics behind it all.

While Kizashi and his wife were not ninja, in a village where over half the population was it would be better protection than these blood wards. And for all she knew maybe the magic would transfer to Kizashi, after all he was as much related to Lily as she was, even if distantly.

It was better than growing up somewhere unloved, as she knew Vernon hated the girl and she just didn't have the will to raise someone who already looked so much like her little sister. She and Lily had been estranged for years but she wasn't heartless, Lily had still been her little sister.

Looking at the one year old, who had finally stop crying and asking for her parents – surprisingly she knew a fair few words for being only a year old – Petunia smiled sadly.

"Don't worry Reika, you'll be alright. It's the least I owe Lily."

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It had been a year, almost exactly, since the Kyūbi attack, a horrid night for everyone old enough to remember.

Things had become more like the norm in Konoha since that night though, and for the Haruno family this was a relief. Money had been rather tight the first six months after the attack, but they'd gotten their little bakery back up and running and it got enough business to support them.

"Mebuki..." Kizashi began, "The Hokage asked to see me today."

Mebuki looked up from feeding their one year old daughter mashed up baby food, a look of concern in her eyes. Despite only being a Haruno by marriage she had bright leaf green eyes, the same green eyes as Sakura. Kizashi hadn't inherited the Haruno green eyes, but his older brother had.

Unfortunately his brother had died during the Kyūbi attack. Kizashi did have the pink hair common for an Haruno, even if it was a duller pink than normal.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

Kizashi frowned, which worried Mebuki even more. Her husband was usually very lively, a bit like a big kid, he hardly ever worried about anything. The last time she'd seen him this serious was during that terrible October 10th night.

"No, not exactly dear," he began, "I don't know If I've mentioned it but I have some cousins who live outside the barrier, in a distant land; England I believe."

Mebuki nodded, vaguely recalling him mentioning his many times great aunt who had left the family and married outside the barrier. They didn't keep up with them as much as they did when Haruno Tsubaki was alive though. From what Kizashi had told her he had a pair of fourth cousins still living outside the barrier.

"Yes."

"It seems Petunia, my oldest living cousin contacted the Hokage recently. Turns out her younger sister, Lily, was murdered on October 31st."

Mebuki gasped, her eyes widening.

"That's terrible!"

"Yes," Kizashi said, nodding. "It gets worse though. Lily had a small daughter, Sakura's age. Reika Potter...she was the only survivor of that night. She was left on Petunia's doorstep but she can't take care of Reika. Her husband wants nothing to do with her and they have a young son themselves. Petunia asked if I could take Reika in myself. Otherwise they'll have to send her to an orphanage."

Mebuki was at a loss for words. What sister in their right mind would deny taking care of their deceased sisters only child? She understood that this woman had a husband and young son, but that didn't stop a lot of people in the same situation.

"What did you tell the Hokage?"

"I told him I wanted to...but I needed to talk to you about it first," he answered and Mebuki smiled.

"I think it's a good idea. We both wanted a big family when we married, but than it took us so long just to have Sakura. The doctor already told us the chances of another child were slim after Sakura, I think this is our second chance. Besides, no matter how distant, Reika is family."

Kizashi smiled widely, and nodded.

"I'll let the Hokage know first thing in the morning."

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It was through one decision The Girl-Who-Lived, Reika Potter – known by most by the nickname given to her by her father and Godfather, Reia – left England. She wouldn't be seen for over a decade, and when she was found she would be different from the girl they expected her to be.

Haruno Reika was born.


	2. Eleven Years Later

**AN: So, firstly I want to thank everyone who reviewed, etc. **

**I was really caught off guard by the twenty-Two reviews I got just for the prologue. Now, we're gonna have a bit of a time skip, most of Reika's childhood will be shown in Interludes and flashbacks throughout the story. **

**I will also be taking suggestions for a summoning contract for Reika. I will choose in the end, but I'd like to see what you all think would be a good summon animal for her. **

**I also have a poll up on my profile for Sakura's team assignment. I've been unable to decide whether to give her a new team, or have team seven as a four genin cell. I could go either way, so I thought I'd get everyone else's opinion. **

**The choices found on the poll are as such; **

**Team Seven, jōnin sensei: Kakashi Hatake; Sasuke, Reika, Sakura and Naruto. **

**Team 3, jōnin sensei: Hayama Shirokumo; Sai, OC, Sakura. **

**Team 5, jōnin sensei: OC jōnin; Sai, OC, Sakura. **

**Team 11, sensei: Kosuke Marubushi; Sai, OC, Sakura. **

**For those who need reminding, Hayama Shirokumo and Kosuke Marubushi are both from the amine, during the Konoha History Arc, episode 190 of Shippuden. **

**Please, go vote. **

**Now, on to the story, but Before we begin I should give the warnings. **

**_WARNING: PROFANE LANGAGUE, VIOLENCE, SEXUAL THEMES._ **

**The profanity is for Reika's somewhat coarse vocabulary. The violence is a given as it is a Naruto fanfiction; and of course the Sexual themes stem from Naruto's sexy jutsu, Anko's fashion sense, and of course Jiraiya the super pervert. **

**_Pairings: Naruto/Fem!Harry. One-sided Sasuke/Fem!Harry._**

****9/16/14: It once marked as a love triangle between Sasuke, Reika and Naruto, but I got the impression some were confused by what I meant. So I changed it to a one-sided Sasuke/Fem!Harry since it might be a bit easier to understand. ****

****What I had meant though was that Sasuke will develop feelings for Reika. Reika already has feelings for Naruto even if she's in denial and doesn't realize it, but will develop conflicting feelings for Sasuke. Naruto of course is confused on his own feelings for Reika. ****

****In the end though Reika and Naruto will be together and Sasuke will**** be paired with someone else, but that's a surprise for later.**_**  
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**Tomorrow.**

**Chapter 1: Eleven Years Later.**

The Haruno family was small. Though there were very few instances of ninja in their history, and they were not considered a clan, they occasionally did have exceptional talent when one did become a shinobi.

Kizashi and Mebuki had two daughters, Haruno Sakura and Haruno Reika. Both were talented, and both were currently in the Academy. They were often mistaken for twins, seeing as they were the same age. They did look like sisters, despite only being distant cousins (fifth to be exact).

Sakura had a more round face, or at least less angular and aristocratic. Her hair was much neater. A bright cherry blossom pink. Her eyes, while green, were the same leaf green as Mebuki's. Reika's eyes were darker than Sakura's, but still a bright emerald green.

Reika stood taller than Sakura by an inch, and had almond cat-like eyes. Her hair, which fell similarly in the way it framed her heart shaped face was a shade of dark fiery red, and fell to a few inches past her butt, nearing her mid-thighs.

Thanks to its length it wasn't as messy-spiky as it could be, but still tried to form a combination of spikes and messy waves which fought to be straight as it fell down her back. Sakura had much tamer straight hair, which fell to her mid-back.

The two sisters also wore similar battle dresses with the Haruno circle.

The difference was that Reika's was dark green with one long sleeve, while the other arm remained sleeveless. Under this she wore a sleeveless mesh armor top with white trimming – though this wasn't seen because of the dresses high collar.

The Haruno circles were on the main back of the dress, and the bottom part of the front of her dress. Both wore dark blue shorts under their dresses, along with weapon holsters.

Sakura's dress also differed in the fact it was not as high collared, and was a deep red color, with more than two Haruno circles on it.

Another big difference between the sisters, other than personality, was that Reika didn't have the large forehead Sakura was unfortunately known for. This was never mentioned, knowing how self-conscious Sakura was about it.

Over all, other than a few common features and being the same age, Reika and Sakura hardly looked like twins. One could believe they were related easily since they really did resemble the other like sisters would.

The Haruno's were definitely a lively bunch, and through their daughters they had grown in respect with the ninja clans. Mainly it was because of their youngest, but Sakura's obvious talent if she'd actually focus on her chosen career instead of chasing dreams of the last Uchiha, helped as well.

Mebuki and Kizashi had never meant for it, they hadn't even suggested the Academy to their daughters. Reika and Sakura had come to them.

They hadn't expected Reika's magic – they had been made aware of Lily's abilities which had passed to Reika, what those outside the barrier called magic. It was similar but also completely separate from chakra – to be treated like a bloodline.

Or that it would become registered as one after her eighth birthday when her chakra had mixed in a balanced way with her magical core, allowing for what wizards and witches would consider wandless magic.

The Hokage had put it down as Mahōton, or Magic Release, a name Reika had hand picked.

Mebuki and Kizashi didn't let it go to their heads though. They still ran a bakery, even though Kizashi's mother – the horrid banshee woman, as even Mebuki knew her – had been talking of the advantages of Reika's bloodline, and what it could bring them.

Ayane, Kizashi's mother, had even had the nerve of suggesting the CRA for her when she was older. Kizashi had suffered through his mother's ideals, even her talking of him taking her place on the civilian council one day, but the idea of the CRA was where Kizashi put his foot down.

He and his wife may be civilians but they weren't stupid. If Reika were to marry and start a family they wanted it to be on her terms, not with multiple husbands either chosen for her, or being pressured into picking a handful just so she could be seen as little more than breeding stock.

There was a reason the Clan Restoration Act was hardly used anymore, unless absolutely necessary, and that was more than usually only done for males. Females could no longer be forced, and the CRA hadn't been used in Konoha for nearly fifty odd years.

Kizashi had yet to patch things up with his overbearing mother because of that incident. Reika, who had overheard her parents talking about the incident not long after it happened simply shrugged it off.

She read a lot so she knew the laws. Not only did the Hokage have to sign off on the CRA so did the Bloodline heir or heiress. Her grandmother also wasn't her favorite person, she was louder than even Sakura at her worst.

As for Sakura, Reika wasn't sure if her older sister – by only four months – would ever come to know what it was their parents had been upset about. Ever since the were small children Sakura had been chasing after the last Uchiha like he were the last male on earth.

Truthfully she didn't understand the Uchiha fangirl craze, sure he was attractive she'd have to be blind not to see that, but she'd rather train to be a great Kunoichi and surpass Tsunade of the Sannin.

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A long haired redhead dozed as she waited for class to begin. The slight breeze from the open window blowing some of her messy but struggling to be straight locks around her. It would have been annoying if the girl were actually paying attention.

"Hey, where's Naruto?"

"Don't know, ask Rei, she might know," a lazy voice answered.

The redhead was brought from her random and abruptly changing thoughts by a small dog landing in front of her on the desk. The ninken barked, and Reika opened one eye to send a scathing look at the white fur-ball.

The dog simply wagged his tail. She sighed, opening both her eyes, and flicking some of her long bangs out of her eyes; revealing a glimpse of a scar above her eye, an oddly lightning shaped one. Smirking in amusement she began petting the small dog.

"Sorry Akamaru-kun, I don't know where Foxy-kun is right now," she told him.

"Seriously?" Kiba questioned, still turned around in his chair to look up at her. "Iruka-sensei isn't here either."

"Probably means Naruto is running from the jōnin or ANBU again. We were talking about a prank recently, but we never actually sat anything up," Reika mused, and Akamaru went back to his spot on Kiba's head.

"Move Ino-pig! You're too close to my Sasuke-kun!"

"Put a cork in it, Forehead! You're just jealous..."

"Of what!?"

Reika's shoulders slumped forward, and she sighed at the loud argument between Sakura and Ino. Between them was a very annoyed looking Uchiha. Sasuke, she thought with a little hesitation.

She still remembered how different he'd been, before the Uchiha Massacre. Even then she'd barely gotten to know the boy before it had happened and he'd closed himself off from the world.

She'd thought them friends once, now she didn't know what they were. Her circle of friends mainly consisted of boys, as most girls her age were fangirls. She'd tried to befriend some girls, but as said most were Sasuke's fangirls and they didn't exactly befriend easily.

The last thing she needed was them thinking she was after Sasuke for herself. Fangirls could be vicious things.

Nope, she'd decided long ago that Shikamaru, Chōji, Kiba, Shino and Naruto were better friends, safer friends. She did have her sister, though, even if sometimes they clashed. She and Ino never truly got along, but they were on civil terms with each other and she was close friends with Hinata.

So she wasn't totally without girl friends. She just never felt the need for gushing over boys, or talking about other girly things like her sister was prone to doing. Not to say she couldn't be girly, she was simply more focused on the more important things in life.

Such as her chosen profession. She for one knew being a ninja wasn't something to go into with delusions of grandeur and the like.

Her sister though, well Sakura had always been a bit strange and stuck in her own fantasies. It took actually experiencing something for her to realize she was wrong. It was why no matter how hard she tried she couldn't break her sister of her stupid fangirl ways.

"Looks like they're at it again," Kiba said, nodding towards the fangirl duo. "When will they get the fact he doesn't want anything to do with them?"

"Who knows," she said, sighing.

"Sorry I am late class," Iruka said, entering the classroom with a tied up blond boy.

Reika snorted quietly at the sight of one of her best friends. Naruto was on the short side for their age, only 4'7 ½, nearly 4'8. Probably from all the ramen he ate, not that he'd listen to her when she mentioned eating so much ramen would stunt his growth.

If he was lucky if he'd make it to 5'9 when he was older,_ if _he was lucky. Naruto has some ungodly luck though, especially when it came to card games and the like. He had a shocking yellow-blond mop of spikes for hair, and odd whisker birthmarks on his lightly tanned skin.

His eyes were a bright azure blue, reminding her of the ocean and sky. She'd always been kind of envious of Naruto's hair and eyes. Her red hair, an uncommon feature in Konoha and most of the Elemental Nations, always got her teased growing up. She'd always had a bad temper though, so that had stopped before the end of her first year in the Academy.

She'd always liked her green eyes, but there was something about Naruto's blue eyes which made her envy them.

Dropping the bound boy onto the floor, Iruka stood looking disappointed.

"I don't know what to do with you anymore Naruto. I'm at the end of my rope here, if you don't shape up how do you expect to graduate? You've failed twice already, you can hardly afford another fail," Iruka told him, and Naruto huffed, looking away.

Iruka sighed, shaking his head. "Fine then. Thanks to Naruto here, today we'll go over the Henge Jutsu."

The classroom was filled with groans and boo's while Reika simply shook her head amused, and rested her chin on one of her hands. She should have known he'd go ahead with Prank: Deface the Monument just before graduation.

"You have some nerve, Foxy," Reika muttered as he was released from the ropes, and took his seat next to her.

Naruto blinked big blue eyes – which if Reika was honest with herself she had a severe weakness for.

"What I do?"

"You executed our special prank without me," she said, and pouted lightly (which she'd deny until she died). "What the fuck, Naruto?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "Ah, I'm sorry Reika-chan. I got up early to start so I could use the glare of the sun to camouflage me...I didn't want to chance waking up your family."

Reika nodded, smiling lightly. At least it was a good reason, and they could always give the prank another shot after they made chūnin. This time with a bit of magic.

"So, how did it go?" she asked as they lined up at the front of the class to wait their turn.

Naruto gave a big fox-like grin.

"Awesome. It would have have been even better if you'd been there to help, though," he admitted.

"Next time then. We always have time after we become chūnin to try again, y'know," Reika said, and Naruto nodded.

Naruto had known Reika since they were five years old, nearly six. Just before he'd entered the Academy. He'd entered early, and as Iruka said, failed the Graduation Exam twice before being placed in the class with his age group. She was his first friend.

Naruto knew Reika well enough to know when she was letting him know she believed in him and his ability to pass tomorrows test. To become a genin.

"Haruno Reika..." Iruka said, and Naruto watched as the redhead took a few steps forward.

Holding her hands in the proper seal, Reika called out, "Henge..."

In a nearly soundless puff of smoke the redheaded girl was replaced by a man. Nearly as tall as Iruka, with orange and black clothes more common for a ninja's style (expect for maybe the bright orange), blond hair which was cut similarly to the Yondaime, piercing blue eyes, and distinct whisker marks.

It was an older Naruto, who only Iruka seemed to notice looked alarmingly like the Yondaime Hokage.

Back when Reika and Naruto were first taught the Henge Jutsu, or at least Reika was seeing as Naruto had been in the Academy for about two years already, they would practice together. Transforming into each other. Eventually they got so good at the Henge they would take educated guesses of what they'd look like as adults and Henge into that.

She thought it was always rather accurate. Iruka nodded.

"An older Naruto, impressive," he said, taking note on his clip board of her score. _'Very impressive, it takes skill to be able to layer a Henge like that.'_ he thought to himself. "Next, Haruno Sakura."

"Right," Sakura said, forming the needed hand seal, a look of utter determination on her face. "Henge!"

A near perfect clone of Iruka formed. Iruka barely took notice that the scar was a little deeper than it should be. Nodding though, Iruka called the next student up. That just happened to be Hyūga Hinata. Hinata was a good friend, but dreadfully shy. She lacked self-confidence, mostly brought on by her childhood and clan's pressure.

Eventually Iruka got to Uchiha Sasuke. The silent raven haired boy took a few steps forward and became a perfect copy of Iruka – the common choice among the students it seemed.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Iruka called, marking down Sasuke's score.

"Why do you always have to be so annoying, get in trouble, and then bring us down with you, Naruto?" Ino whined.

"This is a waste of time," Shikamaru said. "Troublesome."

"Like I care," Naruto grumbled, and Reika wished him good luck.

She already knew he could do a perfect Henge, so she wasn't worried.

Looking at the patiently waiting Iruka, Naruto smirked. If Iruka was going to embarrass him than he was going to embarrass Iruka. Unfortunately for Naruto, he didn't think before he made the necessary hand seals.

"Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique)!

Reika snorted, a small smirk on her face as she waited for the smoke to clear.

She expected to see a female version of Naruto – which she had teasingly called Naruko a few times in the past – but her eyes narrowed and the right one began to twitch, a vein seemingly throbbing as she saw the opposite.

A very naked, very voluptuous woman appeared, her features somewhat altered to exaggerate her curves. Clouds obscured large D-cup breast from complete view, but left little to the imagination. Another cloud ring shielded her neither region.

She had smooth ivory skin, bright cat-like green eyes, a coy smile and long thigh length red hair pulled back into three long braids.

"Hello, Iruka-sensei," the Sexy jutsu version of an older Reika said, her voice on the husky side.

Iruka and several of the boys in class were either blown back by nose bleeds or in Iruka's case extremely caught off guard. After a few seconds Iruka was able to stop the small nose bleed he'd been unable to prevent, and regain his composure. Even Sasuke had to discreetly wipe away a blood trail before anyone took notice.

Naruto laughed, dropping the Jutsu. "How did you like my Sexy Jutsu: Reika Style?"

A chill went down his spine suddenly, and slowly he turned to find a very angry looking redhead.

"NA-RU-TO!"

"Ah-ha-ha, Reika-chan...I forgot you were here," Naruto said nervously, holding his hands up defensively as he slowly backed away.

"You...forgot?" she hissed, quite literally, before cracking her knuckles.

Naruto backed further away, chuckling nervously.

_'__Shānnarō__!__ How dare he use that disgusting jutsu transformed into my Imouto! I'll kill the little perv!'_ Inner Sakura raged as Sakura glared bloody murder at the blond.

Another part of her though lamented the fact that even in the future her sister was more developed than her (completely missing the fact that Naruto's Sexy Jutsu: Reika Style was only an exaggerated educated guess of what Rei would look like in a few years).

Despite the fact it was very common that ninja would hit puberty earlier than a civilian because of actively using their chakra unlike a civilian, Sakura was probably the most undeveloped girl of her year.

Reika being considered one of the most attractive girls in the year if rumors were to be believed. Apparently, according to her mother, Reika was simply an early bloomer.

She quickly pushed these thoughts away though, and began to glare at Naruto for his use of that perverted technique.

"Naruto," Reika said, almost sweetly as she took an ominous step forward. _"DIE!" _

Naruto barely ducked under Reika's fist, and jumped out a nearby open window. As he ran for his life, he knew his best friend was following behind him.

"NARUTO!" she shouted, and the whole village knew about his predicament.

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Naruto yawned as he woke up, signaling a new day.

The day before had been eventful.

From painting the Hokage Monument, to running from an enraged Reika (one would think after so many years he'd know better than to piss off a redhead). After that he'd been forced to clean up his defacement of the Monument, but had been treated to ramen afterward.

That had been the best motivation, despite Reika's continued attempts to tell him that eating too much ramen was why he was so short compared to the rest of their graduating class. It wasn't like he was obsessed, really he wasn't.

He loved eating other foods as well – except raw vegetables – he especially liked when Reika would bring an extra bento to school for him. Reika wasn't the most girly of people, but she'd always been a great cook. Just like Mebuki-san, who was one of the few adults who didn't scorn or ostracize him.

Getting out of bed, Naruto noticed his calender, and grinned.

Today was the day. Today he would become a ninja!


	3. Traitor In The Leaf

**AN: So here it is, hopefully you'll all enjoy it. **

**The vote for Team Assignments is finished, and Sakura shall be placed on Team 11. **

**Team 11 will commonly work closely with Team 7 though so she'll not be completely forgotten about for those Sakura fans. I myself didn't like Sakura until ****Shippūden**** and even then only enough so that I could tolerate her and be relieved she wasn't completely useless anymore. **

**I don't like to outright bash characters, not to say there wont be some light bashing, but it wont be on purpose in most cases. **

**Some asked about Dumbles-bashing. I personally think Dumbledore was not an evil man for what he did by leaving Harry, but just too trusting in blood, and going senile. There probably will be some Dumbledore-bashing as he does piss me off a bit in certain situations. **

**Now, some have asked about ages. **

**Currently it's Mid-October. Naruto, Reika, Sasuke, Sakura and the other Rookie 9 are all twelve, unless they have late birthdays like Hinata's who I believe is in December. The Elemental Nations are well hidden to the modern world outside the barrier. **

**They have ninja stationed outside for those who either request time outside the barrier, or those who wish to move to the world outside the barrier like Reika's many times great grandmother, Haruno Tsubaki did. **

**This is how Petunia was able to get Reika past the barrier, thanks to stories she heard growing up she was able to contact one of these stationed ninja and get Reika to Konoha. **

**The point is an Owl wouldn't be able to quickly fly to the Elemental Nations I don't believe without stopping to rest along the way and even if the owl made it the barrier would keep it from entering. **

**The barrier tends to repel those who don't know it's existence though. Which is why at least England's magic world doesn't know about them. This is all explained, perhaps in less detail, as the story continues. **

**Reika will be found eventually, but the first part of Tomorrow is set in the Elemental Nations. So it is very unlikely she'll be going to Hogwarts, at least as a student, anytime soon. Not only is she a shinobi, and an asset to them with her bloodline, but she doesn't necessarily need Hogwarts' help in learning to control her magic. As the story goes on it'll become more clear. **

**Also someone mentioned Sasuke being one of Reika's love interest as I did post the pairings last chapter I assume he or she meant not being overly fond of the idea of Reika liking Sasuke at all. I can understand this, but for this story's plot and of course added drama it is necessary. **

**In the end Reika will be with Naruto and she and Sasuke will never actually have a real romantic relationship, just feelings which are confusing for both sides. **

**As I've said you'll just have to read to find out more. **

**One last note, I'd still like everyone opinion on Reika's summon animal. I've gotten some suggestions, such as snakes, or a type of bird, and I've taken quite the liking to wolves but I'm unsure yet. It won't come in for a while so I'll let Reika's personality develop some more before making a definite decision. **

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**Tomorrow.**

**Chapter 2: Traitor In The Leaf. **

**1 YEAR BEFORE; SEPTEMBER 1ST.**

**SCOTLAND: HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY:**

_Albus Dumbledore sighed as he watched the newest year of first years enter the room. _

_This was the year Lily and James' daughter, Reika (more commonly known as Reia since it was easier to pronounce by the majority. A reason Sirius and James had started the nickname) Lily Potter, should have begun her magical education as well. _

_Ten years ago he'd left young Reika at her relatives, thinking she would be well cared for, but he'd been mistaken it seemed. Mrs. Figg, the one who he'd placed close by to watch over the girl had mistaken a friend of the Dursley's son for Reika time and time again. _

_He didn't understand how, the girl in question looked nothing like Lily and James... though she did have pale green eyes and black hair. Nothing like Lily or James though, and the girl was only over at times in the last ten years. He also knew for a fact Reika had inherited most of her looks from her mother, having hair just as red and eyes just as green. _

_He supposed it could have been Mrs. Figgs bitterness towards those who actually had their magic, as old Mrs. Figg was a squib. He hadn't thought that would cloud her judgment, alas maybe it had. _

_He'd spent ten years believing her to be safe and cared for with her Aunt, only to find out when he'd sent Hagrid to deliver her letter personally that she'd never been at Number 4 Privet Drive longer than a week. _

_He also had no idea where she was. Petunia Dursley had died the year before in a robbery gone wrong, and the location of her niece died with her. If she would have told them, if she even truly knew since her husband could only tell them that Petunia had taken care of the girl not long after she was dropped on them like a sack of potatoes. _

_That could mean many things, but he knew she was alive since her accounts with Gringotts were active. When a witch or wizard died the goblins of Gringotts were one of the first to know since their accounts became inactive. _

_He'd had to deal with scorn once it got out that the Girl-Who-Lived was now the Girl-Who-Went-Missing. Minerva and Severus were the worst when they found out. He still had to deal with their glares, and he couldn't help but feel he deserved it. _

_Maybe Minerva had been right and the Dursley's had been the wrong sort to place Reika Potter with that November night. _

**.**

**.**

**.**

After a quick breakfast, Naruto made his way to the Academy. Reika usually got there first, but sometimes they walked there together.

The redhead had cooled down since the Sexy Jutsu incident the day before and met up with him at the halfway point between his apartment, her house, and the Academy.

"So Foxy-kun, are you ready for today's exam?" Reika asked, offering him one of her homemade Onigiri. She held a half eaten on in her opposite hand.

Naruto took the offered food with a grin and offer of thanks. He didn't know why the adults always shot them strange looks because of the nickname Rei had given him as children. She said it was because he reminded her of a fox with his pranks and whisker marks.

He'd grown to ignore the stares, or maybe glares was more accurate from the villagers. They'd never liked him as far as he could remember.

"I'm ready, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, smiling.

Rei winced.

"Dammit Naruto, not so loud. You'll make me deaf screaming into my ear like that," Reika said, rubbing her ringing ears.

Naruto chuckled nervously.

"Oops, my bad."

They were mostly silent the rest of the way, at least until they saw a familiar head of pink hair looking at a stand of homemade bento's for sell. Naruto's eyes became wide and he came to a sudden stop.

"Sakura-chan," he muttered, and Reika looked back at her friend.

Noticing his longing look at her sister, Reika squished a feeling of anger and something else she wasn't sure about, and stomped over to grab Naruto's arm.

"Naruto seriously...stop drooling over Sakura and get over it," she said, maybe a little harsher than she meant to. Naruto's attention twisted back to her as she nearly dragged him along. "She doesn't like you, and she's known you for seven years, Foxy."

Naruto shook Rei's hand off and began walking beside her on his own.

"You don't know that for sure Rei-chan. Sakura could come around and see that Sasuke-teme isn't worth her time!"

Rei face palmed, and shook her head.

"Dumbass," she muttered lowly, but Naruto heard and proceeded to sulk like a kicked puppy.

She'd never understood Naruto's crush on her sister. Not that she didn't love her older sister, but the pink haired girls attitude towards Naruto was disgusting.

For some reason she couldn't stop a sharp pain in her heart as they continued towards the Academy.

**.**

**.**

**.**

The first part of the exam was written.

Reika liked to read, true, but she'd never been too fond of exams, especially not written exams, but then again what pre-teen was? She'd much rather be outside, maybe under a shady tree – it was rather warm out, being mid-October – and reading a book.

Possibly books on magic from her mother's school trunk, which had been sent over with her eleven years ago. She'd rather be furthering her own scrolls on her bloodline and techniques.

That in itself was a frustrating responsibility, being a first generation bloodline user. Everything had to start from scratch, there were no scrolls on the Mahōton or clan techniques before she wrote them.

At least they wouldn't be for nothing. Her bloodline, despite originating through accident, would always pass down since the Mahōton was a blend of magic and chakra, and not connected to her magical core now. Not completely, though it had originated through the mixing of her chakra into her magical core. From her understanding it was complicated.

The point was that professionals determined there would be only two percent chance of it not passing down and that was only to her more distant descendants.

She'd found it near impossible for her to conduct her magic through a wand though, and she had her mother's wand in the trunk which had apparently been one of the few things to survive the night her parents were killed.

She wasn't quite sure what that meant. Maybe it was her chakra and bloodline interrupting the flow of her magical core through a conduct? She never bothered to ponder too much on it. It simply gave her a headache, a useless one since she had no use for a wand anyways.

Shaking her wondering thoughts, realizing the boredom of the written test section of the exam was getting to her. For the next ten minutes she focused on her test, though Reika finished after only six of those minutes.

Looking beside her she noticed Naruto was having more trouble on his test than usual. She looked back to the front of the room where Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei waited patiently for the allotted time for the exam to pass.

She wished she could have helped him, but on an exam like this she couldn't chance ruining both of their chances at becoming genin. Instead she laid her head on her folded arms and noticed she wasn't the only one finished.

Her sister was waiting patently with her finished test, and Shikamaru was following Rei's example with his head laid on his folded arms, except she was sure he was actually asleep.

A few more minutes passed.

"Alright, pencils down everyone," Iruka-sensei said, and there were a series of groans but everyone complied.

Naruto breathed a sigh of both aggravation and relief, and the papers were picked up by Mizuki-sensei while Iruka explained the next part of the exam – the physical. This included shuriken and kunai throwing, along with taijutsu.

The first part was a taijutsu match.

A lot of the year graduates were actually from civilian families, with only a few clan heirs thrown in. it wouldn't surprise her much if most, if not the majority of the civilian children didn't make it long as ninja.

Eventually her name was called to face off against Hyūga Hinata.

Hinata was a very shy girl, but someone Rei happily called her friend. She was trustworthy, and she suspected the blue haired girl had a crush on Naruto.

Right now, the young clan heiress looked a little mortified to be facing Reika.

Reika had some of the best scores in the class. Though her taijutsu was good, if Hinata wasn't so afraid of inflicting harm on others and was more confident, Reika probably wouldn't last longer than a minute or two.

The Hyūga Jūken wasn't something to take lightly after all, and though Reika tried to take her own spin on the Academy stye taijutsu it was still just the Academy style taijutsu.

Academy students, unfortunately, were only allowed access to certain parts of the Shinobi Library. The more important sections were only viewable to ninja, based on rank. She wouldn't be able to find a suitable taijutsu style until she became a ninja.

"Do your best, Hinata-chan," Reika said smiling, trying to give the girl some confidence.

Hinata nodded as she fell into the opening stance of the Jūken, and Reika fell into a slightly more relaxed version of the Academy taijutsu stance.

"Remember, no ninjutsu, and don't seriously hurt your opponent," Iruka began. "Begin!"

Even when not aiming to cut off access to ones tenketsu, the Jūken hurt. Even with Hinata carefully pulling punches she actually landed, and Reika using her flexibility and speed to her benefit she still couldn't avoid all of Hinata's open handed hits.

She was able to use her own open palmed moves to deviate Hinata's attempts though, which was dangerous to ones health if doing so in a true battle against a Hyūga. Hinata wasn't using chakra though to close her tenketsu so it was safe enough.

Leaning back sharply to avoid a rather devastating open palm strike to her torso from Hinata, Reika twisted mid back-bend, and as she came to straighten back up she grabbed Hinata's still extend arm and swung her leg up to meet the girls stomach.

"Ahhg," Hinata groaned as Reika's foot connected with her gut, making her bend over, her arm twisting rather uncomfortably.

While she was bent forward Reika placed her forearm around the back of Hinata's neck, her hand close to her chin.

"Forfeit," she muttered, and Hinata nodded slightly.

If Reika had wanted she could easily have snapped Hinata's neck by now.

"Winner, Haruno Reika," Iruka said

He had already noticed that even if Hinata hadn't forfeited, Reika had already won with that last move. They'd easily lasted the longest so far at nearly four minutes.

Her sister was up next, facing against a girl she only knew the first name of, Ami. She was pretty sure the girl was one of her sister's former tormentors before Sakura befriended Ino.

Of course Reika had done what she could to get Ami off her big sister's back, so to say, and that had been around the time she'd found a particular joy for pranks. It wasn't like Naruto's love of pranks, but occasionally she enjoyed a good prank.

The following fight was pretty straight forward, and Sakura won after only about a minute. Not all that surprising considering Ami was mostly talk, where as at least Sakura had her intelligence and a good grasp on the Academy basics.

Naruto was faced with Chōji, which lasted about three minutes. Chōji had a bit of an advantage thanks to his clan training, but even still he didn't have the agility or speed Naruto did. Despite Naruto's more brawl-like taijutsu style, having almost completely disregarded the Academy style a long time ago, he was still able to win against the wider boy.

"Good job," she muttered, and Naruto nodded.

"Thanks, though Chōji's no push over. I almost didn't think I'd win it," he said, breathing out in relief.

The next part of the exam was throwing shuriken and kunai. It went by a lot quicker than the taijutsu matches. Reika was quite proud of her score. Finally it was the end of the exam, the ninjutsu portion.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Alright Naruto, in order to pass there is only one more jutsu you need to get right," Iruka said, having already seen the blond boys Henge and Kawarimi. "Create at least three Bunshin."

Naruto shoulder stiffened at Iruka's words, a small bead of sweat appearing at his brow. _'Shit!'_ he thought, not even realizing Reika's bad language might be contagious. _'It had to be the jutsu I'm worst at. No, I'll do it...I just need to concentrate!'_

Placing his hands into the needed seal, Naruto held a look of determination as he cried, "Henge!"

A cloud of smoke obscured their view, but when it cleared there was only one clone on the ground, clearly dead looking. Iruka mentally sighed. He knew how much Naruto wanted to become a ninja, and he also wanted that for Naruto...despite knowing of what he was; he been getting over the fact since meeting the whiskered boy.

Unfortunately he didn't have a choice but to fail him.

"Naruto..." Iruka began, hiding his pity for the boy. "You fail!"

Naruto bowed his head, fist tightening at his side as he forced himself to control his temper. He knew logically it wasn't Iruka-sensei's fault, but he'd never been the best at logical thinking when his temper flared.

"Maybe we could cut him some slack," Mizuki began. "He did make a clone, and it's his third try so we both know he truly wishes to become a shinobi."

Iruka shook his head, and Naruto's small flash of hope was extinguished.

"No. The others made at least three perfect clones, this one is pathetic...it's half dead," Iruka said, realizing maybe his words were a bit too harsh. "I'm sorry, Naruto. You fail."

**.**

**.**

**.**

Reika sat in her seat, waiting for Naruto to exit, praying mentally for good news. She knew the moment she was asked to preform a Bunshin that Naruto was going to have a hard time.

No matter how much the two trained together outside of class, which wasn't as often as maybe they should since her family was a civilian family, and only allowed her so much time to train outside the Academy. At least until she became a genin and was considered an adult in the eyes of the village.

She digressed though, the point was that no matter how much they tried to help one another in training, Naruto had never been able to do a Bunshin.

Touching the shinny metal of the hitai-ate on her desk, she bit her lip. Her nerves reached new heights as the exam room door opened and Naruto exited, shoulders hunched forward and head bowed. Her breath caught, and she placed her proof of graduation into the rather hidden pocket of her dress.

"Naruto-kun!" she called, but he simply continued walking passed, towards the exit.

Her small smile fell completely, and she sighed, looking down at her folded hands on her desk.

_'He didn't pass,'_ she thought sadly. _'I...maybe I can...Naruto. Will he be alright?'_

She shook her head, of course he wouldn't be alright!

"Looks like the loser failed again," Kiba said, snorting and Reika turned a frosty glare onto the boy.

"Shut your damn trap, mutt," she snapped, standing and leaving the room before Kiba even had time to wonder what was up with the redhead.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, shaking his head at Kiba's idiocy.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Not long after she left the room the last person finished the exam and class was dismissed.

This meant she had to fight a crowd to get to the exit, usually it wasn't so bad but most of the crowd were the graduates hyper and happy to show off to their parents.

"Oh, Kizashi-kun our babies did it!" she heard her mother call, and she stopped just outside the building from where she'd been searching for any sign of Naruto.

Sakura was being praised by their somewhat eccentric parents already. Sighing, Reika allowed herself to join her sister and parents.

"Hm, oh Reika where is your hitai-ate?" Kizashi asked, already knowing she graduated through Sakura's happy announcement of it.

"Tou-san," she said, smiling as she placed a hand over where she'd placed the symbol of her village in her pocket. "I..."

"Hmpf," Sakura scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Rei-chan is being melodramatic! She stormed out of class after that boy didn't pass again."

Mebuki and Kizashi shared a glance, a small frown on their faces.

"That boy has a name, Sakura," Rei snarled. "It wasn't his fault, he should have passed. It was that stupid Bunshin again...he's never been able to make a clone properly."

"I'm sure he'll get it next time, dear," Mebuki began, trying to cheer her youngest child up. "Naruto never seems to give up after all."

"It's not the same, Kaa-chan," she said, shaking her head. "We were supposed to graduate together."

Looking over towards the Academy playground she noticed instantly the boy who sat depressed on the swing. It was where he always went after he failed. She would meet him there nearly every day after he'd begun the Academy and she'd still had to wait until she was a little older.

"Is it alright if I stay here a while longer?" Reika asked. "I want to make sure Naruto's alright, maybe get some ramen to try and cheer him up."

Sakura rolled her eyes. She didn't understand what her little sister saw in the blond boy. He was annoying, and always seemed to follow after her like a lost puppy. It seemed to Sakura that Naruto simply used Reika to get to her.

"Of course Reika-chan," Kizashi said, smiling. "Be home before it gets too late though."

"Of course, thank you Tou-san, Kaa-chan," Rei said, grinning.

She waved and disappeared further into the crowd of people. As she came out close to a small group of women, she noticed Mizuki heading towards Naruto.

"It's that boy..." one of the woman said.

"I heard he's the only one that failed."

"Good..." another muttered, almost fearful.

"Well it serves him right after everything he's done."

"Just imagine if he became a ninja, I mean that's the boy who..."

"Shh, we're not supposed to talk about that, Aiko," the darker brunette of the three women said.

Glaring over at the women, Reika sneered.

"Why don't you mind your own fucking business, you hags!" she exclaimed, drawing others attention to her, some very disapproving of her harsh language.

She was thankful her parents had already left. Her father might just laugh it off as adolescence and girls being girls, but her mother wouldn't.

"What a rude little girl," she heard the woman, Aiko she thought, say as she began to storm over to Naruto.

By the time she got there though he had already left with Mizuki, leaving her to worry even more for her best friend.

**.**

**.**

**.**

That night, Reika couldn't get the nagging feeling out of her mind. She laid in her room, staring at the black ceiling which had glowing stars scattered across it.

Her room was pretty much the exact opposite to her sisters, though the furniture and layout was pretty much the same.

She had been unable to find Naruto after he left with Mizuki and it worried her. She'd wanted to talk to him about the graduation, or his lack there of. She needed to know he wasn't upset with her since she'd graduated, and that he still wanted to be her friend.

Sitting up, Reika made her decision and swung her legs over the side of her bed. Throwing off her night gown in favor of a black shirt with the leaf symbol on the back and a pair of her black shorts commonly worn under her battle dress.

Her shinobi sandals went on next, along with her thigh holster and hip pouch, the dark blue cloth of her her hitai-ate was tied around her forehead.

Reika moved to open her window after she was sure no one else was up and easily made her way to the street below. Even on the second floor it was a rather simple trick to slow her fall with her bloodline should she need to.

Looking around she made her way to Naruto's apartment but halfway there she realized he wasn't there and came to an abrupt stop.

Reika was a fairly adapt chakra sensor even as young as she was. She had no formal training, as there were exorcises sensor types could do to increase their ability.

Her bloodline also made her sensor abilities that much more sensitive, and since she was actively trying to find Naruto's chakra she noticed he was actually on the move on the other side of the village.

_'What...why is he all the way over there. That's rather close to training ground seven isn't it...and the gates...' _Reika's eyes widened.

Naruto wouldn't be...he couldn't be trying to leave. It made no sense to her, Naruto wasn't treated kindly by the majority, but he still loved Konoha!

Reika narrowed her green eyes and began running in the direction of Naruto's chakra. It had settled down only a few seconds prior.

"Foxy-kun, you really have a lot of explaining to do," she muttered as she ran.

**.**

**.**

**.**

The village was basically crawling with ninja, so Reika had to slow down and use every bit of stealth to hide her presence from them.

With her bloodline this was made a little easier, she'd been perfecting the use of the Mahōton in order to camouflage her chakra signature from other ninja. It would almost be as if she had no chakra, though it wasn't a simple bit of magic.

It was actually rather draining, but she could use it sparingly for up to three minutes, but once that three minutes was up it took up to five minutes before she could use it again. She thanked the years of helping Naruto with his pranks for the fact she even thought of it and could use it for that long at all.

After what seemed like forever Reika was able to find the wooded clearing where Naruto and two other chakra signatures were. She couldn't tell who one was, she wasn't that advanced yet, but she could see the second closer to Naruto was Iruka.

Peaking out of the bush Rei sighed in relief at seeing the grinning blond. Iruka stood in front of him, presumably staring at the orange clad boy in confusion as Naruto explained excitedly what he'd been doing.

Reika's eyes widened.

"What? Naruto, where did you get that idea?" he asked, and Reika slowly began exiting the bush.

"Huh, oh Mizuki-sensei told me! He told me about this place and explained about the test..." Naruto trailed off, opening his eyes and his grin falling off his face as he really began to think about it.

"Naruto," Reika said, drawing the others attention to her.

"Rei-chan," Naruto said, blinking in his surprise to see her. Iruka seemed just as startled.

"Reika, Naruto we need to get the scroll back..." Iruka stopped short.

Reika gasped, also having heard the sound of the wind whistling as kunai sliced through the air towards them.

"Huh, no..." Iruka muttered and he turned back to Naruto who was in the direct line of fire. "Naruto, look out!"

Gasping loudly Reika ran towards Naruto, twisting out of the way of two kunai as she did, thanking her flexibility and reflexes for her ability to do so. Unfortunately as she basically tackled Naruto to the ground one of the kunai sunk into her side towards her back.

Her shirt had mesh lining on the inside as it was one of her training shirts, but it was only a little resistance to the well aimed and sharpened kunai.

Naruto was only injured by the collision with the hard earth as they landed, possibly a few bruises from landing so hard but otherwise he was fine. Reika breathed heavily, and sat up slowly.

The pain of the kunai still imbedded in her side was piercing but easily ignored. She couldn't say she'd had worse, but she'd had a fair few training accidents in the past, so she wasn't new to pain.

Looking back towards the cabin-like structure she saw Iruka had the brunt of the kunai piercing his arms, and legs. The ones that had hit his chest had been stopped by his flak jacket or diverted by his arms.

"Reika-chan...Iruka-sensei," Naruto muttered, eyes wide as he looked from his teacher to his best friend.

Reika smiled as she reached somewhat behind her to pull out the kunai and throw it away.

"I'm fine, it's just a flesh wound," she said, trying to ease his mind.

True enough it could have been worse, it would need medical attention but as long as she kept calm she shouldn't lose too much blood too quickly. She'd read quite a few books on the medical arts, and though she was interested in them she didn't think it was the best fit for her.

She wasn't one to be able to listen to all the rules of being a medic-nin. She was too impulsive at times. Her sister called it a hero-complex.

"So, you found my little hiding spot," Mizuki began, standing on a tree branch. "You I expected Iruka, but not the girl."

"Mizuki," Iruka said as he finish pulling the last kunai from his body. There had only been three in his leg and one stuck in his arm, but the betrayal of one of his comrades and friends had caught him off guard. "Heh, I should've known."

Naruto stood, helping Reika as he did.

"What's going on here?" he asked, and suddenly got angry as Reika hissed sharply from pulling on the wound too much when she tried to stand up too fast. "ANSWER ME, DATTEBAYO!"

"Oh, look Iruka he's mad," Mizuki mocked, laughing.

Iruka clinched his fist, glaring at Mizuki. He knew he needed to work fast. He himself would need some medical assist, but the priority was Naruto and Reika's safety. Especially seeing as Reika had been injured, quite badly if the amount of blood soaking through her shirt was any indication.

She seemed to be handling it well though, for her first battle injury, if one could call this a battle. It was close enough considering the situation they were stuck in.

"Naruto you need to take Reika and get out of here," Iruka said, turning to the two pre-teens. "Mizuki has lied to you. This isn't a test, he means to use you in order to get the forbidden scroll."

Naruto's eyes widened and he looked from Iruka back to Mizuki.

_'Is...that true?'_ he thought and then narrowed his eyes. Iruka wouldn't lie to him. _'Then that means...Reika's injury...it's my fault. Iruka's too!' _

"Bastard!" Naruto snarled, looking ready to attack but a tug on his arm stopped him. Looking back he saw a heart-shaped face framed by bright red hair smiling lightly back at him.

"Naruto...don't it's what he wants. He wants you to get angry...don't sink to that trashes level," she said.

Naruto anger began to melt away and he shook his head.

"I just don't understand!" he cried.

Mizuki smirked.

"Why don't you give me the scroll Naruto? Iruka and Reika are just trying to confuse you. They're lying to you, they don't really care about you," he began, smirking as he saw the jinchūriki's shoulders begin to shake. "Do you want to know why the villagers hate you Naruto? Why you always had to be careful when you showed your face just to survive? Why they've all been lying to you?"

"No, Mizuki it's forbidden!" Iruka yelled, realizing what his former friend meant to tell the blonde. "Naruto, please listen to me. That scroll is one of our villages greatest treasures. Inside are techniques forbidden by the previous Hokage. You can not give it to him, even if we all die!"

"That's true enough I suppose," Mizuki began, smirking. "But how about I tell you the truth. The rule, no law, that was created after your birth. One you were never supposed to know!"

"What, a law?" he questioned, eyes wide in shock and curiosity. "What sort of law, why wasn't I supposed to know!?"

"No, don't," Iruka stated, taking a step forward away from the cabin behind him.

"It's quite simple," Mizuki said. "As you know twelve years ago the nine-tailed demon fox attacked, and was defeated by the Yondaime Hokage. What you don't know is that it wasn't killed, it was sealed. The law is so that you never know that you are the demon fox!"

"Huh..." Naruto gasped out, his mind too shocked to say anything more.

"No," Reika said, shaking her head from Naruto's side. "You're lying! That's not true!"

"Open your eyes girl, why do you think everyone tried to warn you against befriending the boy?" Mizuki asked harshly. "It was clearly too late though, the boy had already ensnared you and your parents by the time anyone acted. Pity, you're quite respected by most for your bloodline. What I say is true..."

"No, stop it Mizuki!" Iruka yelled.

Mizuki smirked, laughing loudly before he continued, "Naruto_ is_ the Kyūbi no Yōko. He is the demon that killed Iruka's parents and many others when he destroyed the village. You've been lied to your whole life, they'll never forgive you for what you've done to them!"

"Stop it!" Reika and Iruka both yelled.

"That is the reason everyone hates you, Naruto. Even Iruka is the same and now that Reika knows she'll leave you as well."

Naruto grabbed his head and shook it, before gritting his teeth and his chakra seemed to burst out momentarily, making his hair stand up on end.

"Dammit, shut the hell up!" he yelled, his eyes shut tightly.

Mizuki laughed, pulling one of his large shuriken off his back.

"Nobody will ever accept you, demon!" he yelled and swung his arm around, releasing the shuriken in one rotation.

Naruto didn't see it coming, his eyes still shut tightly as he muttered under his breath and shook his head. Reika reached Naruto first, being closest to him and pulled him down, her back in the direct way of the oversized shuriken.

Reika closed her eyes making a single hand-seal, a personal one which were similar to a Tiger hand-seal but instead of both the pointer and middle fingers being up, only the pointer fingers were up.

She muttered under her breath, praying she had enough strength left to create a barrier strong enough to stop the shuriken. Suddenly her concentration broke somewhat when she felt a larger body knock into her, forcing her down into a startled Naruto.

The large shuriken breached her barrier of shimmering chakra-magic and dug into Iruka-sensei's back. A short yell of pain escaped his mouth as he covered his two students bodies, protecting them. The wound was deep, but the flak jacket had stopped it from being fatal as had Reika's barrier.

"I..Iruka-sensei," Naruto muttered, and Reika looked behind herself as well as she tried to roll off Naruto a bit.

It was kind of uncomfortable, and made her face heat up in embarrassment. Iruka moved enough for her to do so, and the man smiled, a bit of blood making its way out of his mouth.

"Sensei," Reika said, concern growing in her green eyes. "Why did you do that?"

Iruka smiled almost bitterly.

"I have to protect my students, Reika," he said. "Even those who have graduated...huh..Naruto I understand what you've been through. Our situations were different but similar. My parents...when they died it was like everyone forgot about me. They didn't care to comfort me, to recognize that I was still alive. It hurt..very much. My grades didn't get anyone's recognition so I began to act out. I became the class clown, and my grades slipped but at least people saw me again. It was hard though, being alone."

Tears began to leak out of Iruka's eyes, and he shook lightly.

"I'm sorry Naruto. If I had done a better job maybe you wouldn't have been in so much pain. I'm just relieved that you had Reika, and I know she cares the most about you, she always has."

"I'm sorry Foxy-kun," Reika began, forcing the tears that had built up to this point back. She hated crying. "I knew it must have been hard, but Iruka is right about one thing. You're not completely alone, I've been here and I'm not going anywhere. It my promise...a promise of eternity."

Naruto looked at them, before he moved, taking off in a run deeper into the forest.

"Naruto!" Iruka yelled, afraid his words and Reika's hadn't gotten through to the hurt boy.

Eyes wide, Reika stood shakily before she took off running after her best friend. She was so worried about Naruto she hadn't even thought of staying behind to help Iruka, which made her feel guilty but she had faith that Iruka could handle Mizuki. He was a c_hūnin_ after all.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Naruto-kun!" Rei yelled as she got closer to her friend.

She followed his chakra signature as best as she could, but blood loss was catching up to her. She'd stopped bleeding a few minutes before, and she was fearful all her running would reopen the wound. She'd already had to stop and try to use her Mahōton in order to try and heal her side.

It probably worked similar to medical ninjutsu, she'd heard of the most common healing technique the medic-nin used, it was what she based the technique off of. Instead of green chakra glow though her hand glowed a pretty light blue-violet. It wasn't as powerful as the Shōsen Jutsu (Mystical Palm Technique), she was still working on it.

The fact she was even able to create it for use with her bloodline, which when complete would make it more powerful than the Shōsen Jutsu, without knowing the Shōsen Jutsu said a lot.

Unfortunately as said it wasn't complete and it only healed scrapes and bruises currently. She had to push a lot of her chakra-magic into the technique just to seal the wound in her side enough she could continue running without losing even more blood.

She knew one thing as she ran to catch up with Naruto, cursing his high stamina and speed as she did so, she was going to seriously train after this and complete her Mahōton: Chiyu Seikatsu (Magic Release: Healing Life).

When she found him he was in a tree, sitting on a thick branch, his knees drawn up to his chest and head buried in his arms. She saw his shoulders shaking and wondered if he was crying, it would be a shock. She knew he hated crying, he hadn't in so long.

When she'd asked him why he never cried he said tears wouldn't make life easier, it would simply be like giving up and he refused to give up.

Kneeling down carefully in front of him she reached out and touched his shoulder, not at all surprised when he tensed.

"Foxy, come on it's alright."

"How..." he muttered, looking up at the redhead. "How can you be around me now, I'm just a demon. The villagers were right after all..."

Naruto head snapped to the side as a stinging pain passed through his cheek. Blinking fiercely, he slowly turned back to look at Reika. Her hand was still raised, and almost twitching from the force her palm had hit him with, and her cat-like eyes were narrowed even further.

"Don't say such trash, dammit!" she snapped. "Do you think this changes anything!? Fuck the village! Naruto, you're my best friend. I've known you since we were five years old, and I'm not going to let some stupid fuzzball stop me from being around you!"

"Rei..." Naruto said, completely caught off guard by her passionate speech. Tears burned at his eyes, and he grinned his fox-like grin, his eyes shutting tightly on instinct and to force the tears back even if they were happy tears. "You're right Reika-chan...I can't give up now. No matter what I'll show the village that I'm not a demon. I'll protect them! I'll protect everyone precious to me and become Hokage, dattebayo!"

Reika grinned back, holding out her hand to help Naruto up. Taking the offered hand Naruto stood, and the two turned to face the direction they'd left Iruka. Glancing around her, she noticed the two chūnin were now somewhere further into the woods, meaning Iruka might have tried to follow them. Or the fight had brought them deeper into the forest.

"Come on we have to help Iruka-sensei." she pointed towards the direction of Iruka and Mizuki's chakra. "There, they're in that direction. We need to hurry."

Naruto nodded. "Right, lets go."

The two ran off towards their Sensei.

In his office the Hokage watched this all transpire, and smiled in relief. He began to rethink the team assignments as the two ran off towards Iruka and Mizuki.

He'd always known Haruno Reika's bloodline, despite being a first generation one, would be powerful. The fact she seemed to have already created a few techniques with it said a lot about her intelligence.

She had great potential, and was close to Naruto, being able to bring him back from the brink of snapping under the pressure after his status as jinchūriki was revealed to him.

Hiruzen also had no doubts that Naruto would be promoted to genin when this was all over. Especially if he'd learned a jutsu from the forbidden scroll as he believed he had, after all Naruto was his parents child. Naruto had even more potential than any of his graduating class, even the proclaimed Uchiha prodigy.

Originally he had planned to place Haruno Sakura on Team Seven with Sasuke and Naruto. When Naruto hadn't graduated he'd changed it to include Haruno Reika. Now, if everything played out how he hoped and thought it would, he would only need to make a few changes.

By doing so the Hidden Leaf Village may just have a new Sannin in the making.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Naruto and Reika sat behind a thick tree, Naruto glancing out from behind it to catch a glance of Mizuki and Iruka. Iruka was leaning against a tree he'd collided with and Mizuki had stood from where he'd landed, both of them losing their transformation.

Reika panted softly as she caught her breath, her back pressed firmly against the trunk of the tree beside Naruto. Her hair was a mess, leaves and twigs were probably stuck in it but she didn't care.

"Hehehe, I'm surprised in you Iruka. Shame on you, transforming into the thing that killed your parents in order to protect him."

"I won't let you have the scroll, I won't let you... hurt them."

"You're a fool. You saw his eyes, those were the eyes of a demon. He's the same as me you see," Mizuki said.

"The same," Iruka muttered.

"That scroll is forbidden for a reason...with the skills inside one can do anything. You're an idiot if you think the demon fox wont want to use the scroll to return to it's former power."

Iruka scoffed, a bitter chuckle escaping his mouth.

"Yeah, you're right..."

Reika gasped, and Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Soon his eyes dulled in brightness and he buried his face in the scroll he clutched to his chest. His eyes narrowed with some resentment and anger.

Placing a hand on Naruto arm, Reika shook her head. "He can't mean that, Naruto-kun."

"Even Iruka hates me, Reika-chan."

"The demon fox would do that," Iruka continued, smiling slightly. "But Naruto is different. He's ones of my excellent students. He may not be the hardest or most intelligent worker. He's got his flaws. He's clumsy at the worst of times, and nobody truly accepts him other than Reika, and he knows this. He knows true pain, the pain of being alone, of being rejected by the majority. Yet he's never given up. He isn't the Kyūbi, he never was, he's a member of the Hidden Leaf Village. He's Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage."

Naruto allowed the tears to come then. Other than Reika no one had said such things about him, never believed in him like that. For once he cried tears of happiness instead of rage and misery.

Reika smiled relieved to hear Iruka's words. She didn't know if she could have reconciled Naruto if Iruka had turned out just like the rest of the idiots in the village. Ninja and civilian alike.

"Heh, disgusting. You know I was going to take care of you later, but I've changed my mind." Mizuki took off the second large shuriken and swung his arm back, spinning the large blade to pick up force and speed before releasing it. "Hurry up and die, Iruka!"

Iruka's eyes widened for a second, before he smiled bitterly but almost with relief.

_'So this is how it ends...' _he thought, but the shuriken never reached him.

A few kunai made it veer off course and hit the tree higher up. Naruto used this as a distraction in order to kick Mizuki, sending him skidding back on the ground a few feet.

From a high branch shuriken and kunai made there way towards Mizuki, a few of the kunai had strings which attached an exploding tag to them.

Mizuki had been unable to do more then cover his face and more vital areas from the kunai and shuriken. His flak jacket ended up taking a lot of the brunt of the attack, stopping the weapons from cutting deeply into his torso. His legs and arms weren't so lucky.

Kunai were more easily deflected for the chūnin, but he failed to notice the exploding notes until it was nearly too late.

He quickly stood, and jumped back but was unable to clear the explosion zone completely, and was forced back into a tree. A cry of pain was forced out as he collided with the tree and then the ground harshly.

The ground where Mizuki once was was ravaged by the weapons and exploding tags. Iruka looked on with wide eyes, unable to believe the level of teamwork and planning that must have needed. But if anyone could have pulled it off it was Reika and Naruto, who now stood together on a branch of one of the trees.

Mizuki pushed himself up, pulling shuriken and kunai out of his body. He was rather lucky none of them had been tagged to explode. Reika was known to enjoy the tags fūinjutsu could create.

Iruka had once caught her with a book she'd stolen off a chūnin on beginners fūinjutsu so she could begin to make her own tags. To further enjoy her love for explosions and fire in general.

He'd chosen to let the girl keep it as long as she didn't try to fool around with fūinjutsu before becoming a genin. What he didn't know was fūinjutsu was something both Reika and Naruto explored together, though they'd not attempted more than a standard exploding tag, keeping their promise to Iruka.

"You damn brats...you shouldn't have done that," he said as he stood almost shakily on his feet. "I'll kill you both. I'll kill the girl first and make you watch you damn demon!"

"No, run you two. Why did you come out, run back to the village while you can!" Iruka yelled, slowly pushing himself to his feet. Or trying, blood loss was catching up to him along with exhaustion.

Reika simply stood there, eyes narrowed and cold, the green nearly glowing in the night as she did. Naruto stood beside her, the forbidden scroll propped up between them, his head bowed and eyes closed and shadowed.

Slowly he opened them, glaring even more coldly at Mizuki, his pupils having a fox-like slitted quality to them. They were still bright blue, but frozen with his anger.

"Don't touch Reika-chan or Iruka-sensei. If you dare to harm them..._**I'll KILL YOU!**__"_

Mizuki just laughed, not believing for a minute the demon could defeat him. The girl was good he'd admit, he'd bet everything the earlier attack had been planned by her. As if the demon had any skills for such things, he had no idea he was about to regret those thoughts.

"Shut up! A punk like you I'll kill in one attack!"

Naruto made a cross-like hand seal, his eyes shadowed by his goggles and still just as cold as before.

"Try it trash! I'll return the pain to you a thousandfold!" Naruto shouted. **"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"**

There were thousands of Naruto clones in seconds, and Mizuki stopped laughing instantly, a look of fear coming over his face. Iruka watched in awe, and even Reika couldn't help but gap in astonishment. She'd never seen so many clones and the fact they appeared to be solid, if the shadows she saw a few casting were anything to go by, surprised her further.

Naruto smirked as he stared at the almost shaking Mizuki. "What's wrong Sensei, I thought you were going to kill Reika and me..."

"Reika and I," Reika muttered, though only Naruto heard her.

"Whatever then, I'll start things off if you're not going to move!" he finished, and the clones began to close in on Mizuki.

"Naruto...you did this in just a few hours," Iruka muttered, and he truly began to believe in his own words even more. Naruto may one day prove to everyone his dream was not just a childish dream. He would become Hokage.

_'He truly is something. At this rate he really may surpass all previous Hokage.' _Iruka thought with pride as Mizuki was beaten down by the thousand copies of Naruto.

The shadow clones popped out of existence and all that was left was a badly beaten Mizuki face down on the ground. Naruto stood above him now and Reika held the Forbidden Scroll slung across her back.

Looking at them both he noticed that Reika was rather paler than usual, probably from her injury. Naruto other than being scuffed up and a few scratches and bruises was in the best shape. He did look tired though, considering he'd learned and used a kinjutsu in such a short amount of time he wasn't surprised.

"Hehe, I guess I went a little overboard," Naruto said, chuckling sheepishly.

Reika scoffed, crossing her arms. "I beg to differ."

Iruka chuckled, smiling as he leaned forward with his hands folded across his knees. He had ended up back on the ground sitting against the tree sometime before.

"You both did great," Iruka said proudly as he stood. "Naruto, come over here. There's something I want you to have."

Reika watched happily as Naruto stepped forward, closed his eyes on Iruka's request, and when he opened them he was greeted by the feeling of heavy fabric around his head. Reaching up he gently touched the cool metal of a Konoha head protector.

"Congratulations, you graduate," Iruka said, smiling widely.

Reika walked over and clapped Naruto on the back in congratulations, wincing a little as the rising sun got into her eyes. Looking up slightly she was amazed to see the night gone. It seemed just like minutes ago she'd left the house looking for Naruto only to find herself in this situation. Her parents were going to be so angry when they found out.

"Let's celebrate, after we return the scroll and head to the hospital. We'll go out for ramen, the three of us," Iruka said, and Naruto grinned, eyes lighting up as he realized he truly had done it. He was a ninja!

Reika laughed brightly when Naruto tackled Iruka back against the tree, ignoring the small cry of pain from their sensei but offering a quick apology. Iruka joined Reika's laughing.

_'I had planned a big lecture for Naruto and even Reika on the hard part of being a shinobi, that the true pain and adventure had just begun for them...but I suppose I can save it for the ramen place,'_ Iruka thought to himself as they all three left the woods for the main village and Hokage's office.

**.**

**.**

**.**

They actually ended up with Naruto carrying a semiconscious Reika on his back towards the Hospital with Iruka.

Iruka had sent one of the nurses with a message to the Hokage, letting him know the scroll was safe and where they currently were.

It was only a few minutes before all three were laid out in beds, though Naruto fought it. Assuring them he was not injured, still he was forced into one.

The staff of the hospital didn't truly care, he knew, nor did they like him but they'd learned a long time ago it was an extremely bad idea to refuse him help. The Hokage had made sure he was treated somewhat fairly, and there were a few doctors and nurses who had faith in the Fourth's sealing and didn't mind Naruto.

They didn't necessarily like him but they didn't see a reason to refuse treatment as he grew up and needed healing either. All in all though Naruto hated hospitals, and Reika wasn't too fond of them either.

She was barely awake though, fighting sleep since she knew her parents would be there once the doctors or Hokage contacted them. She dreaded what sort of punishment her mother would come up with.

"Seems to me, Naruto, that you've had quite the adventure," Hiruzen said as he entered the room.

Other than observing the three laid out in beds out of concern he went straight for the forbidden scroll propped up against the wall between Naruto and Reika's beds.

"Hey, Hokage-jiji...uh sorry about the whole scroll thing. I shouldn't have trusted Mizuki," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck, looking down with clear guilt.

"Ah, I believe I should be thanking you actually. You've shown me that maybe security has become too lax, if a boy who was hardly yet a genin could sneak into my home in the night, defeat me, go unnoticed by my ninja and steal our villages most sacred scroll. If you had not been tricked then Mizuki may have tried to take it himself, and he may have pulled it off much as you did, and then there might not have been the chance to retrieve it before he left the village," Hiruzen said. "No, I do believe you've done the village a great service by keeping the scroll out of enemy hands. You, Reika and Iruka. I shall mark this down for you three as a A-rank mission. Your payment can be given as soon as you get out of the hospital, just come by my office."

"Really?" Reika asked, surprised. "I thought for sure we'd be punished..."

Hiruzen chuckled.

"I don't think you really did anything to be punished for other than being out passed midnight. I believe that is up to your parents to decide though. As for Naruto, he was tricked, and he in the end as I said did a great service for the village by keeping the scroll safe and defeating Mizuki. You both did."

"Thanks jiji," Naruto said, grinning which slowly turned to a small frown. "Jiji, you knew about the Kyūbi...didn't you?"

Hiruzen sighed, taking his pipe completely out of his mouth.

"I did. I was there at the sealing though I could not get through or try to reason with the Yondaime. If I could have I would have done the sealing myself. My time as Hokage had ended, the village needed the Yondaime more than he realized, but with his death I felt it my duty to retake my old mantle as Hokage and to try my best to make true his dying wish."

"Dying wish?" Naruto asked, a little sad that he'd been the cause of the fourths death.

Hiruzen saw right through him, realizing the guilt Naruto had now, and wanting to put it to rest.

"Naruto, what Mizuki told you was true enough. But you are not the Kyūbi, you are the container...the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi. The Yondaime gave his life to seal the fox inside you, and I know you and Reika both understand some of the basics of fūinjutsu. Just because we seal a kunai into a scroll does not mean that the scroll becomes the kunai. If we were to think like that and try to use the scroll as a kunai we'd fail since the scroll would just bounce off, or at best confuse our enemy." Hiruzen smiled slightly. "The Yondaime had faith in Konoha to see this, unfortunately his faith was somewhat misplaced. I am ashamed that I could not protect you enough growing up, you were alone and I could only do so much. I couldn't make friends for you, nor could I stop the older generation from making their children stay away from you. The Yondaime's dying wish was that you would be seen as a hero, and that has yet to happen, but I believe you can make it happen. You just have to work hard and believe you can."

Naruto slowly grinned, his face lightning up in joy.

"You bet old man! I'll be the greatest ninja, a legend in the making. I'll protect the village and all those I care about, I'll show them all that I'm not the Kyūbi. I'll realize the Yondaime's wish, and be seen as a hero someday, dattebayo!"


	4. Team Assignments Part I

****AN: So, here is the next chapter. I am currently writing up the next part of the chapter, so it should be up in a week, give or take a few more days. It all depends on the time I have free and where my inspiration goes. ****

****I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, and enjoy the chapter!****

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**Tomorrow.**

**Chapter 3: Team Assignments Part I. **

_'Late, late, late...I'm late dammit!'_

Reika chanted in her mind as she ran through the streets in her common ninja wear, her hair flying behind her as she headed for the Academy building. besides for being where students learned to become ninja, it also held the Hokage's office and was where graduates were to go for ninja registration.

While she ran she was thankful for the medic-nin's healing her injury from the night before. Otherwise she probably would have torn the wound open again.

Not long after the Hokage arrived her parents had arrived with wide eyes. Worry was clear on their faces and in their voices. After they had made sure she was in no danger of dying, and was healing well she'd been put through a loud lecture courtesy of her mother.

While nowhere as loud as Sakura or her grandmother at their worst an angry Mebuki was not something to wish on anyone. She'd been right about the fact she'd been punished for sneaking out past curfew.

Despite being an adult now that she'd graduated from the Academy, her parents were civilians so in their minds she was still their little girl.

Not to mention if she brought it up she knew what they'd say. That as long as she was under their roof she'd follow their rules. It was understandable. Reika had noticed they'd been more happy she and Naruto were alright.

Her punishment had been a week of extra chores, in other words both hers and Sakura's. That had made Sakura's day she was sure.

What Naruto and Reika had found out next was a surprise though.

Her parents had apparently known Naruto's parents in their younger years, even if neither had been ninja. Both frequented the Haruno Bakery before their deaths. She felt kind of upset at the Hokage when he said it was best Naruto didn't know who his parents were.

She and Naruto hadn't taken that as an answer, but they'd only been able to work his mothers name out of the Third Hokage. She was a great kunoichi from what the Hokage would tell them, with a fiery temper as fiery as her hair.

Similar to Reika herself, though nowhere near as calm. Uzumaki Kushina had been a lot like Naruto himself.

Reika let out a small chuckle as she ran, remembering how it had taken them nearly the entire day yesterday just to get his mother's name from the Sandaime. The only reason he'd agreed in the end was because if Naruto and she dug deeper they might have discovered her anyways since Naruto had been given her clan name.

That in itself had been a surprise, seeing as there wasn't any mention of an Uzumaki clan in Konoha, but she remembered coming across it in one of the older books in the library. An outdated version of Konoha's history.

It had mentioned a clan that had close ties to the Senju, and lived in their own Shinobi Village on an island off of Hi no Kuni.

The clans name had been Uzumaki, but back then she'd assumed it was a coincidence since it mentioned all Uzumaki having brilliant dark red hair. They'd been known for their fūinjutsu skills, something that interested both her and Naruto.

Another reason for the Sandaime's decision to tell Naruto, and Reika believed the main reason, was Kushina also hadn't had the amount of enemies his father apparently had.

Being a genin the Sandaime decided he was mature enough to at least know who his mother had been. From the lone picture the Hokage had been able to procure for him Uzumaki Kushina was a beautiful woman.

She'd had delicate but somewhat sharp features despite a rounded face shape. Fair skin, a peach tone, not tanned but not really pale.

Her hair had been long, similar to Reika's own, but was completely straight. Something Reika could silently envy since she hated how her hair tried to be straight, but was unable to rid itself of the messiness and almost wavy-spiky look it held.

Other than his blue eyes and blond hair, Naruto looked a lot like his mother. His chin was a bit sharper though, despite having the same facial shape.

She didn't think she'd seen Naruto so emotional over anything, other than after the revelation of him holding the Kyūbi the night before. The two had sat at the river. Both were silent for once, other than a few comments about his mother.

She didn't think Naruto put the picture of his mom away until they got up to leave.

Over all the last two days had been a blur of drama for Reika and Naruto. She hoped it wasn't a running theme once they were actively shinobi. Knowing her luck it was unlikely.

She groaned as she turned a corner in the building, almost sliding off her feet as she did.

Opening a door she burst out onto the balcony-like space, since it couldn't really be called a roof when there were more levels to the building. A wide, short man was beginning to take apart his camera equipment but stopped short upon noticing her, and she caught her breath.

"Wait...I...I'm here," she said, standing up straight.

"You're late."

Reika smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I got lost on the road of life..." she said, and the squat man grumbled under his breath.

On the other side of the village, close to the dango shop, a tall jōnin reading a orange book sneezed.

"Get in position, I'm only taking this once," the man said, and Reika stood calmly, a small smile on her face, her hands folded behind her back.

**_Click._**

There was a few seconds before she could take her registration form, and head to the room where they'd been told to go to meet with the Hokage and some other person. An Academy teacher or something. It was never really clarified.

Bursting into the room she came to a sudden, and embarrassed stop when she noticed the Hokage was already with someone; though she easily recognized that shade of orange jumpsuit.

She'd been trying to get him to darken the shade or let her buy him something more ninja appropriate, but he'd always refused. He liked orange, and his jumpsuit was comfortable.

Added to the fact that there were ninja who wore worse shades. Hell, her own sister had bright pink hair and wore a bright red-pink dress.

He'd tried to bring her choice of attire in, the dark green and white, but she'd simply smirked and argued back that at least her dress was dark green. Easily stealthy in a forest if she hid right.

Naruto seemed to be just as stealthy if not more so than any ninja in his bright orange jumpsuit anyways, so she'd long since given up that argument. For now.

"Hey, Reika-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, a large grin spreading across his face.

"Sorry I'm late..." she said, walking over and handing the Ninja Registration form to the Hokage.

"Hm, just don't make a habit of it," The Sandaime said, mentally thinking of how the world couldn't survive two chronically late ninja. The village already had Kakashi.

Looking at both forms now in his hands, he nodded in approval at Reika's picture and sighed once he got to Naruto's. He'd hoped the picture he'd seen just before Reika's arrival had been his imagination, but no.

Striking a ridiculous pose with face pant and designs even on his hands was Naruto.

He supposed it was too much to ask that the young boy take his registration picture seriously. He remembered Kushina had tried something similar, though she'd simply painted her face up extravagantly, almost like a geisha.

Like mother like son, he supposed. Gods knew Kushina had been just as much a prankster in her youth, before Uzushio was destroyed and the Third Shinobi War began to become something more than rumors and horror stories.

"Naruto...you're picture," Hiruzen began, looking up at the still grinning blond boy.

Naruto closed his eyes into thin lines, making his grin more vulpine-like.

"Awesome isn't it? I had a hard time deciding what to do, I wanted it to be perfect. Finally after three hours, I got it right."

Hiruzen sweat-dropped, while Reika sighed and shook her head. She wasn't surprised though, Naruto was just a free spirit like that.

"Retake it," the Hokage said bluntly.

Naruto's chair tipped over, sending him onto the floor with a crash.

Snickering Reika walked over to help him up, though he didn't need it. By the time she got close enough he'd already jumped back onto his feet. She decided to pick up the chair, and sit down in it instead. Watching as Naruto pointed accusingly at the Hokage.

"What do you mean_ 'retake it'_, I spent three hours on that!"

"This is very serious Naruto. It's what will identify you as a ninja of Konoha..." Hiruzen began.

Reika wasn't listening to the rest of the lecture he gave Naruto, she instead pondered silently why a ninja village had a registration anyways. Wasn't it dangerous to keep that kind of information around?

_'Obviously it's well protected, and no one's ever infiltrated Konoha...I don't think,'_ Reika thought to herself. _'Then again...Naruto was able to steal the forbidden scroll, but he's got the luck of the devil too. There's probably some sort of defense in place; come to think of it where would they even keep this sort of information? I've never been able to really find where they put the Ninja Registration forms after a graduate registers.' _

Reika looked up suddenly as the door was slid open and a boy, Academy age so probably between six and eight, ran in.

He had a shuriken in hand and wore a strange helmet, which had some of his hair pulled through the top. A dangerously long scarf around his neck, a shirt with the Konoha leaf on the front, pants, and shinobi sandals.

"This time that hat is mine, Grandpa...ahhg!"

The boy stumbled, tripped and fell, landing face first on the hardwood floors. There were cries from the kid as he curled on the floor, holding his face protectively, and an older most likely jōnin level ninja entered the room in a panic.

"Honorable grandson!" the man yelled hysterically. "Are you alright? How did this happen!?"

Reika sweat-dropped, and thought, _'He acts as if the brat lost a limb.' _

The boy sat up, and rubbed his face where it had hit the floor. "Damn, who's trap was that? Who tripped me!?"

"Honorable grandson...there wasn't any traps or anything else to trip you."

The boys eyes lifted in the direction of the two figures. A blond, blue eyed, whiskered boy and a pretty redheaded, green eyed girl.

Konohamaru pointed, and exclaimed, "It was you, Blondie, you tripped me!"

Naruto stared at the boy as if he had said the most asinine thing in the world.

"You probably did it to impress your girlfriend! Do you know who I am!?"

Naruto's brow began to twitch along with his left eye, and Reika gaped at the boy realizing she was the only girl present to be the boy's so called girlfriend.

"I didn't trip you, you brat!" Naruto shouted, grabbing the boy by his scarf. "And she isn't my girlfriend!"

Reika couldn't help but close her eyes, and repress a twitch of annoyance while wondering exactly what Naruto meant by his words. Was she not good enough for him? Was she not pretty enough?

_**'Wow girl, stop right there. What does it matter? He was just telling the boy we weren't his girlfriend, that's the truth. Get a grip!'**_ an inner voice told her calmly, and her eyes snapped open.

_'Oh god', _she thought.

Was Sakura's second personality, which she only knew about because her sister had mentioned it once when they were younger, contagious? She shook her head, of course not, it was simply a one time thing. A coincidence. Even if it wasn't it was probably just her subconscious berating her for being an idiot.

Ebisu, the jōnin tutor of Konohamaru, a great honor in his over inflated ego, stared at the two with a frown. He knew who both were.

Haruno Reika was known for not only her first generation bloodline limit, rumored to be on a level close to the first Hokage's Mokuton when she gained control of it, but for being friends with the Kyūbi brat.

Uzumaki Naruto was of course the nine-tailed fox, everyone knew who he was. He was even more disliked because of his friendship with the Haruno girl, many believed he had her under a spell of some sort.

Reika took one glance at Ebisu and even if his eyes were hidden behind black glasses, she could tell he was one of the idiots who didn't understand how fūinjutsu worked and thought Naruto was the fox.

Suddenly Ebisu pointed at Naruto as if he were scum.

"Naruto, you let go of him! How dare you lay hands on the Sandaime Hokage-sama's grandson!" Ebisu shouted.

Naruto glanced over, lowering the kid so his feet were at least touching the ground. Not that Konohamaru was that much shorter than Naruto, just a head shorter really, and that was just by a little.

"Yeah, go ahead and hit me. Go on, I dare ya. You won't..." Konohamaru was stopped abruptly as pain spread through the top of his head.

Naruto's fist had smashed into it and Reika sighed, hands resting on her hips. Naruto never backed down from a dare. He probably would have done it anyways.

"I don't give a fuck if you're the old man's mother!" Naruto shouted, straightening up and flexing his hand out from the punch he'd given Konohamaru. Never even noticing Rei's bad habit of cursing seemed to have rubbed off on him for that instant.

Ebisu was forced back by his own shock, unable to believe the brat had such nerve as to harm the Hokage's grandson in front of the Hokage himself. Even more he was shocked the Hokage hadn't done anything. He sat the same way as before, unconcerned.

"What!?" Ebisu shouted, and the Hokage twitched.

_'Geez,,,how did he turn out like that. No wonder Konohamaru is picking up bad habits.'_ Hiruzen thought to himself as he glanced at the spazing jōnin tutor.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Naruto smiled in Konohamaru's direction as he tried once again to hide convincingly.

It wasn't working. He could still tell he was being followed, and he knew Reika could. She was a great sensor after all, not that he was half bad, he simply didn't have the talent for it that Reika did.

"Konohamaru I can still see you," Naruto said, turning around.

Reika chuckled as she stopped walking as well.

"Ah, you found me again! Alright, that's all the proof I need."

"Proof?" Naruto asked, scratching the back of his head. "What are you talking about kid?"

"Proof that you'll be my new sensei! So will you teach me boss! Come on I can be a real good student, I swear!"

"Ah...kid you do know Naruto's just become a genin. Same with me, we're not qualified for such jobs..." Reika was interrupted by the kid attaching himself to her middle, burying his head into her hip bone as he hugged her.

"Please pretty lady? I'll listen and everything," Konohamaru said, looking up and giving the girl his best puppy-dog eyes.

Reika's mouth fell open as she fought to find words to say. Finally she grabbed the boy by the back of his scarf and shirt, and yanked him off her. Her cheeks were stained red as she sat him down in front of her, and dusted off her dress as if there were something on it.

"Don't need to get clingy you damn brat," she muttered, and Naruto chuckled.

"So brat, you want to learn the Sexy no Jutsu," Naruto began, bringing Konohamaru's attention back to him.

"Yeah, I've heard about what it did to my grandpa. If it can defeat him then it must be great!"

"How exactly did you hear of this, I doubt the Hokage let it go around that he was defeated by a naked female version of Naruto." Reika narrowed her eyes and turned to Naruto. "At least it better have been Naruko..."

Naruto waved his hands as if trying to placate her, and laughed nervously. "Of course it was my female version. I've learned my lesson from last time I used Reika-style...honestly."

Reika gave him one last searching look before nodding.

"I heard grandpa muttering about it, and how it should be forbidden like the others in the big scroll he never lets me see," Konohamaru said. "So will you teach me, please?"

"Well, I guess I can't say no to that," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head (which seemed to be a habit of his). "Listen if you want to be a great ninja, dattebayo, then you have to learn to control your catra."

Reika face palmed, shaking her head while they walked through the village. Seconds later they all came to a stop.

"Um don't you mean chakra, boss?" Konohamaru asked, and Naruto opened his mouth but Reika spoke up first.

"He does, Naruto is just thinking of that cat that nearly killed us that one time a few months ago. I think the ninja chasing it called it Tora."

Konohamaru froze, eyes wide and he began to shake. He'd heard of that cat, hell, he'd seen a few genin teams return it looking as if they'd gone through a war.

Naruto inwardly sighed at the save, and nodded.

"Exactly. Your chakra..." he began. "I guess I'll explain what that is."

"Chakra is the elemental life energy used to preform jutsu. It is the physical and spiritual energy mixed together to form chakra. Physical energy is from the cells in ones body, while spiritual energy is from training and experience. When combined the energies mix, and allow for advanced jutsu with the aid of hand signs."

"Don't be such a know it all, and don't just recite it from a scroll," Naruto grumbled, before continuing. "Alright, first things first. Show me your Henge."

"Uh, what?" Konohamaru blinked up at the blond who just nodded.

"I need to see what you can do, so show me your transformation."

"What should I transform into?" he asked, and the two looked around before Naruto's gaze fell onto Reika who was leaning against one of the buildings.

She raised an eyebrow and the blond grinned.

"Transform into Reika. That should be pretty easy," he said, and Reika narrowed her eyes at them.

"Don't try anything funny, Naruto. It better just be a normal transformation."

"Of course, I'm just seeing how well he can do the henge."

_'Geez, I use the Sexy no Jutsu: Reika-style once and you're labeled for life,'_ Naruto thought to himself._ 'How unfair.'_

Konohamaru nodded, grinned and excitedly brought his hands into the needed seal. There was a puff of smoke, and it left to reveal what resembled a short, obese version of Reika.

Even the hair wasn't vibrant enough, Naruto realized. It was more auburn with way too much brown to match Reika's fiery dark red.

"So do I look like her, boss? Did I do well?" he asked excitedly.

Naruto blinked and stumbled over his words.

"Well, the dress sort of looks like her."

Naruto's eyes widened further when he felt a cold chill down the back of his neck.

"That looks like me?" Reika asked calmly, but with an edge to her voice.

Naruto grimaced and winced when not only his head, but Konohamaru's was treated to Reika's fist. Those passing by barely batted an eyelash, but some did glare at Reika, those who recognized Konohamaru as the Hokage's grandson.

Reika stood with some smug pride, and dusted off imaginary dust from her hands before smiling over at a wide eyed Konohamaru.

"Now Konohamaru, next time you transform into me make sure you can do it right. Here I'll help you get it down, we'll use Naruto-kun as a model," she said, sending an almost viscous smirk in Naruto's direction.

Said blond groaned as he rubbed his head, thankful she wasn't near as bad as some girls. She actually knew her own strength, so even when angry like that she never hit hard enough to cause lasting damage.

He was still glad he had a thick head and fast healing.

So mission, _'Teach Konohamaru the Sexy no Jutsu'_, commenced.

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was hours before the three were interrupted by Ebisu, Konohamaru's tutor.

The man was not very impressive, but to be a jōnin at all meant he was probably formidable in a true battle. He just seemed too much like a stickler for the rules in Reika and Naruto's opinions.

Someone who just barely became a jōnin because he believed in books and knowledge being power more than proper training.

Reika was intelligent and enjoyed books, but she knew that knowledge and even rules would only get you so far in the shinobi profession. Without the right balance it was more likely to get you killed, this was one reason she was worried about her sister.

Despite those thoughts, Reika couldn't help but laugh as she watched Naruto use the new Harem no Jutsu to defeat Ebisu. Forever known now as the closet pervert.

"Wow boss, you really did it!" Konohamaru exclaimed, but was still put out that he'd failed. "But I couldn't...damn, I couldn't even defeat him myself! I'll never be able to achieve a name everyone will acknowledge!"

Naruto glowered down at the young boy, and Reika slapped Konohamaru over the back of the head.

"Don't be like that brat," Reika said, hand on her hip. "It takes more than a silly prank jutsu and maybe a good distraction to become Hokage."

Naruto nodded his agreement with her words.

"Reika is right. Being Hokage is more than just a name. I was often lost, no one wants to acknowledge that I exist. With so many bad situations I nearly gave up but then I met Reika, and later I found just one more person who believes and accepts in me. Just that though was incredibly difficult."

Naruto smiled an almost bittersweet smile.

"You'll have to be prepared."

"Prepared?" Konohamaru asked, and the two genin who'd begun walking away slowly came to a complete stop.

"If you want a name like Hokage, one that everyone will acknowledge... there won't be any short-cuts. It'll take blood, sweet and tears. You might not make it...who knows I might not either since my fights just begun. What I do know is this." Naruto smirked at the somewhat wide eyed boy. "You'll have to defeat me first, as I won't give up. That's my nindo."

Reika smiled, and Konohamaru stared with some awe in his wide eyes before he narrowed them and clinched his fist.

"Alright! That's it, from now on you're not my boss," he said, and Reika raised an eyebrow while Naruto looked through the slits of his mainly closed eyes at the boy with question. "From now on we're rivals."

Naruto grinned, opening his eyes completely before saying, "Sorry kid, but tomorrow is the day I take my first steps as a real ninja of the leaf. I can't take too much time to goof off anymore, but someday I'll fight you for the Hokage name." He took a breath before continuing. "I'll be looking forward to that day, Konohamaru."

Konohamaru watched as the blond walked off with his hands stuffed in his pockets, Reika walking beside him, her thigh length red hair blowing in the light wind.

He blinked with surprise when in the setting sun he swore he saw the silhouette of a blond man whom resembled Naruto even from the back, and a red-haired woman, who other than similar shades in hair, looked nothing like Reika shadowing them.

**.**

**.**

**.**

In his office the Hokage smiled happily, having seen the whole thing. While he was a little annoyed at Naruto teaching his grandson the Sexy no Jutsu and Reika allowing it, he was proud of the speech Naruto had given.

Reika wasn't much of a surprise, she'd always had a good head on her shoulders, when she wasn't causing mischief with Naruto.

With Naruto though it showed the boy was finally growing up. He also saw the shadowed outlines, like ghost watching over them, shadowing the two.

Though he just smiled wider, from the back walking away as they were the two looked like the spitting image of Naruto's parents.

If he didn't know better he'd have begun to believe Naruto and Reika were Minato and Kushina reincarnated. The similarities were great, but the differences were greater.

It was nice to believe that even from the stomach of the Shinigami and death itself, Minato and Kushina were watching over Naruto and even those Naruto found precious to him.

"It seems Naruto is finally taking the first steps to achieving his dream. I wasn't sure before, but now I believe Naruto could be the greatest Hokage since my own predecessors," Hiruzen said to himself. "Good luck, Naruto. It'll be a hard road from here."

**.**

**.**

**.**

Naruto sat up late that night, his knees drawn up to his chest as the moonlight shown through his open window and lit up the room.

His gaze, dull and sad, was turned onto the picture of a woman smiling happily as she held her swollen stomach. She wore a green dress over a nearly sleeveless white blouse.

Her eyes shown with the joy she obviously felt at the moment the picture was taken, and he could see the partial figure of a tall man in the usual dark blue jōnin uniform, but without the flak jacket.

His face wasn't in the picture, but he saw the side of a lightly tanned jawline and bright spiky blond hair just like his own. This was the only picture of his mother the Hokage had, and the only one that didn't have his father in it completely.

While he was happy to finally know who one of his parents were, he couldn't help but clutch at the picture of the beautiful redheaded woman – a shade of red not far from Reika's own he couldn't help but compare – who he'd only know for a few minutes after his birth.

She'd died in the Kyūbi attack, not only from injuries but from having just given birth. Even her Uzumaki vitality couldn't save her. He felt there was more to it, but the Hokage wasn't talking and he just felt lucky to have gotten this out of him.

If not for Reika helping him win the Hokage over with her wit and logic than he would have had to wait until he was at least a chūnin to know who both his parents were.

Uzumaki Kushina... from what he and Reika could find on her, and what the Hokage had told them she'd been the last known survivor of her clan. She was also known as the Red-Chained Death, someone famed for being a fierce no-nonsense fighter in battle.

The fact his mother loved him had brought the brightest smile to him, one that wasn't a mask for his pain for once.

He'd always told himself that his parents had loved him, despite what the orphanage matron had told him when he was still young, but to know for sure that he'd been wanted meant the world to him.

Then, after a day of running around with Reika, trying to find stuff on his mother and the Uzumaki clan, he'd gone home and cried himself to sleep.

His mother had wanted him, but despite how great that felt and that he now had a name and face to go with the image of a family, he was still alone.

He had proof now that his mother was dead, when before he could tell himself that maybe she was just in coma somewhere. Or had simply not wanted him but was alive somewhere. A part of him was glad those pathetic excuses were wrong, the other part wished he could have gotten to know her.

He'd seen how families acted by simply observing. If there was one thing he'd always envied about his best friend it was the fact she had a family. With a shake of his head he placed the picture back under his pillow, and slid down under the covers of his bed.

He would make his mother proud.

Tomorrow would be the start of a legend his parents would be proud of even in death.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Reika wolfed down her cereal without taking a breath, and her parents and Sakura all looked at her in confusion, and repulsion in her sister's case.

Sakura herself was eating half a grape-fruit, which in her mind was something you had for a snack and not a meal. Or as dessert after a meal.

Cereal and toast was at least a bit more balanced, but Sakura thought about her figure before she did the fact her training would prevent excessive weight gain.

There was no point telling her that now though, she was as thick headed as Naruto at times.

"Honey, maybe you should slow down," Mebuki said, sitting down her coffee cup. "It's only six dear. You don't have to be there until nine this morning."

"Sorry, I've got to go wake up Naruto-kun," Reika said through her mouthful of toast as she stood.

The buttered toast hung from her mouth, making Sakura roll her eyes and sneer at the sight of it.

"At six in the morning?" Kizashi asked, and Reika shrugged as she bit into the toast she'd pulled free of her mouth.

"Nah, I'm just going to hang out there until around eight before waking him. Maybe pick up some breakfast..."

"Why not just make some?" the blonde Haruno matriarch asked.

Reika chuckled as she slid on her black shinobi sandals. "You don't know Naruto that well, mom. Trust me, there's no food to make anything in his apartment. I'll see you after assignments today."

She kissed her parents on the cheek before she grabbed her hip pouch off the counter, and headed out the door. Sakura pushed her half eaten grape-fruit aside and sighed.

"Why does she get to go out to that idiots so early? If I wanted to go to Sasuke-kun's this early to help him would you let me?"

Mebuki and Kizashi didn't even look up from what they were doing as they answered in unison.

"No."

Sakura huffed, leaning back in her chair.

"Isn't she grounded?" she muttered, and Mebuki looked up.

She and Kizashi didn't play favorites. The only reason they let Reika go off to Naruto's apartment unsupervised at six in the morning was because they could trust them.

Reika wasn't even aware of her own feelings for the blond boy, and Naruto the last time she checked had a crush on their eldest daughter. She also knew that Rei was now an adult in the eyes of the village, and she didn't necessarily need their permission. The fact she let them know before she left said a lot.

As much as it pained her to admit it, Reika was simply the more mature of their two daughters. They had no doubt she was just going to be making sure Naruto got to the Academy on time with a good breakfast – gods knew that boy needed to eat better.

Mebuki and Kizashi at least knew Naruto, they didn't know the Uchiha boy and wouldn't trust their eldest to be alone with him.

Especially not with Sakura being so obsessed with the Uchiha, something neither really approved of but had thought was simply a phase. Hopefully it was, and she just hadn't gotten over it yet.

"Eat you breakfast dear," Mebuki said. "You'll need your energy for today."

Sakura stood, and left the room.

"I'm not hungry."

The pink haired pre-teen left up the stairs, and the green eyed woman sighed.

"What are we going to do with that girl," Mebuki said. "She's getting quite the attitude lately."

Kizashi sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm sure it's just puberty. I seem to remember you being rather angsty when we were that age. Didn't you have the largest crush on Namikaze Minato?"

Mebuki's cheeks flushed red as she remembered that. She and Kizashi were two years older than those of the Yondaime's generation, and both she and Kizashi had went to the Civilian Academy.

Minato had been one of the most sought after boys near their age. She'd gotten over the crush obviously, and it wouldn't have worked out anyways.

Shinobi usually didn't begin anything with civilians because of how dangerous the profession was. Civilians also didn't normally understand the demanding life of a ninja. There were exceptions though.

"That was ages ago," Mebuki said, throwing a strawberry from her bowl of fruit and toast at him.

Kizashi laughed, and returned back to his own food.

"Sakura is just acting her age. We can't expect them to be perfect."

Mebuki nodded. Her husband had a point.

Her daughters were just growing up, and there would undoubtedly be bumps in the road since raising teenagers wasn't supposed to be easy.


	5. Team Assignments Part II

**AN: So it took me longer than I wanted, but I finally finished it. I want to thank everyone for their time and reviews, they really helped me finished this very long chapter. Now before we get to the chapter a few things. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything that you may recognize. I own a few Original characters and the things you don't recognize, and that's it. I repeat, I do not own Naruto. **

**_**WARNING: PROFANE LANGAGUE, VIOLENCE, SEXUAL THEMES.**_**

****The profanity is for Reika's somewhat coarse vocabulary. The violence is a given as it is a Naruto fanfiction; and of course the Sexual themes stem from Naruto's sexy jutsu, Anko's fashion sense, and of course Jiraiya the super pervert. ****

__**Pairings: Naruto/Fem!Harry. One-sided Sasuke/Fem!Harry.**__

****It was once marked as a love triangle between Sasuke, Reika and Naruto, but I got the impression some were confused by what I meant. So I changed it to a one-sided Sasuke/Fem!Harry since it might be a bit easier to understand. ****

****What I had meant though was that Sasuke will develop feelings for Reika. Reika already has feelings for Naruto even if she's in denial and doesn't realize it, but will develop conflicting feelings for Sasuke. ****

****Naruto of course is confused on his own feelings for Reika. In the end though Reika and Naruto will be together, and Sasuke will be paired with someone else, but that's a surprise for later. ****

****As for Reika's summoning, I am still taking suggestions, though currently I am leaning towards the Slug contract.****

****.****

****.****

****.****

**Tomorrow.**

**Chapter 4: Team Assignments Part II. **

**7:00 A.M;**

**Hokage's Office:**

Maruboshi Kosuke stood before the Sandaime Hokage calmly.

A content and kind smile lit up his wrinkled face, his gray hair pulled up into a short ponytail. He was one of the Hidden Leaves most unique ninja, the only one who could claim to be Konoha Saikyō no Genin (Tree Leaves' Strongest Low Ninja).

The Hidden Leaf's Strongest Genin. The Mannen Genin (Eternal Genin).

He was sixty years old, and had been a ninja for fifty of those long years. He wore a mesh armor shirt under a short, brown, sleeveless kimono with a pair of gray pants. On his back he carried a large wok (a versatile round-bottomed cooking vessel).

He was known to use it for multiple reasons. From cooking in it while out on missions, to using it as a supplementary weaponry during battle. He also carried a ladle, and a tantō sheathed horizontally across his lower back.

Despite his advanced age, only a few years younger than the Third himself, he was still a strong fighter. He was far from ready to give up his life as a ninja, he still felt he had many more years left in him.

He didn't go on many missions above the occasional B-rank anymore though, probably the only genin to have multiple missions above that of a C-rank on his record. He could have been a jōnin many many decades ago, but he chose to continue on as the Eternal Genin.

There was nothing wrong with it, he was just as strong as many jōnin in the village after all. Standing there in front of the Hokage he had to wonder exactly what he had been summoned for.

He had returned from a mission the day before so he doubted he was needed for another so soon.

"Hello old friend," Hiruzen said.

Kosuke nodded, smiling wider.

"Hello, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen chuckled, removing his pipe from his mouth momentarily.

"As I've told you many times, Kosuke, you may simply call me Hiruzen. I think we've known each other long enough now."

Kosuke nodded, and shifted on his feet. The question of why he'd been asked here becoming too much for him, so he asked, "Hiruzen, may I ask exactly why you asked for me? Is there another mission you wish for me to go on?"

"You could say that. You see Kosuke, I had an odd number of graduating students this year, and not enough jōnin to become sensei's." Kosuke raised an eyebrow, and Hiruzen continued. "After much consideration I've decided to ask a favor of you my friend. I want you to take on a genin team..."

Kosuke's eyes widened, but it was only seconds before he spoke, "No."

Hiruzen wasn't surprised by his answer, but he wasn't about to give up. He knew Kosuke had still held onto some guilt over what happened to his team when he was a child, not long after becoming a genin himself.

It was the death of his team which had caused the man before him to never become a chūnin or jōnin.

It was a bit of a waste, but Kosuke had never let being the Eternal Genin keep him from higher ranked missions. He had even fought in the second and third war even just being ranked as a genin.

"I understand, but I must insist. It's been fifty years since you became a genin Kosuke, since your teams death. I understand your reasons, but I do need someone who can take on this team. It along with this years Team Seven is not the average team."

Kosuke frowned deeply. He didn't want to think of taking a team, he wasn't even a jōnin so he didn't understand what the Hokage was trying to pull.

Hiruzen was right though, it was his guilt and sense of failure stopping him from even thinking of accepting the offer. He couldn't teach, he was no longer in his prime even if he was still strong in his old age.

His curiosity won out though.

"Tell me about this team, Hiruzen."

Hiruzen smiled around his pipe, knowing he was one step closer to getting Kosuke to agree.

"Team Eleven has potential, but I don't have a jōnin I think can bring forth this potential. To make matters worse Danzo has volunteered to take the team if I need him to. Because of one of the members on the team I am hesitant to allow this. I am sure you know my reasons for being wary of Danzo's taking on any team."

Kosuke nodded, he to would not trust Danzo with a team. Especially if it had the potential Hiruzen believed it did.

"Team Eleven consists of Shirakumo Rin, Sai, and Haruno Sakura," Hiruzen stated.

"Hmm, Shirakumo Rin...she wouldn't be the daughter of Shirakumo Hayama and Shirakumo Ranko would she?" Kosuke asked. "I do not know anything of Sai, but I have heard of the Haruno family. They run a bakery, a civilian family who has gained favor since their youngest daughter awakened a bloodline."

Hiruzen nodded.

"Exactly. Shirakumo Rin is also the niece of Nohara Rin."

Kosuke's eyes widened. He remembered that spirited girl, a member of the last active Team Seven under the Yondaime Hokage's guidance. As far as he knew the Fourth's team had all died except for Hatake Kakashi, son of the White Fang.

Team Seven always seemed to have the worst luck.

He was unaware Rin had a sister, much less that Hayama's wife was said sister. He should have realized, he had met the woman before. He'd worked with her and Hayama on a mission years ago. Thinking back on it Ranko and Rin looked so much alike it was easy to tell they were sisters.

Both had the purple rectangular clan marks on their cheeks, and similar facial features. Ranko unlike Rin had black hair with dark purple-blue highlights, and her eyes were a bright, light amber.

"Sai is a former Root operative. He was meant to be on Team Seven to keep an eye on Uchiha Sasuke I am sure. Danzo most likely assumed Uzumaki Naruto would fail again and a spot on that team would be free. So a year ago he placed Sai in the Academy. Unfortunately for him, even before Naruto had graduated, I had already planned who would be on Team Seven. Sai was not even a thought. Haruno Sakura was to be the third member of Team Seven before Naruto graduated. The odd number of students leaves me with an extra three students to place with a sensei as I've said. Shirakumo Rin, Sai and Haruno Sakura are that team. All three have potential. Sai has potential of becoming a true member of not only society but our shinobi forces, away from my old friends mechanics. Rin has the potential of becoming a shinobi on levels of her parents and aunt, while Sakura has potential of becoming great in the medical field and genjutsu. All three need work though, and all three have their faults."

"Sounds to me as if you're trying to create a new generation of sannin," Kosuke mused, and Hiruzen chuckled.

"Well, not Team Eleven. While they have talent and I have no doubt they will become strong under your guidance Kosuke, I have another team in mind for that. A team that may very well surpass the original sannin."

Kosuke looked down at the three files Hiruzen now looked at, these weren't the files from before on Team Eleven. Picture were clipped to the front, and he caught the names on the side of the folders.

Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Reika, and Uchiha Sasuke. Team Seven.

Kosuke smiled.

"I see," he said.

"Enough of that though. This is about Team Eleven not Team Seven," Hiruzen said as he put away the three files in his desk. "What do you say Kosuke?"

"There must be someone more suited for this. I am old, and may only slow them down. I'm not even a jōnin, Hiruzen!"

"Ah, but we both know you are no ordinary genin, Kosuke. You are Konoha's Strongest Genin. As for your age, you are younger than I, and still as strong as you were two decades ago. If you wish to think of this as a long term mission then so be it," Hiruzen stated.

Kosuke sighed and asked, "I had no say in this did I?"

Chuckling Hiruzen answered, "Of course, I just already knew you'd agree once you heard about the team."

With a heavy sigh he nodded.

"Alright, I'll do it."

**.**

**.**

**.**

Rei arrived at Naruto's apartment soon after leaving her house.

She didn't do this often, but she knew Naruto would never get up in time to do more than grab a light breakfast and get dressed. She had to use magic to unlock the door, but that was probably one of the simplest things to do with magic.

"Figures," Reika muttered as she looked into fridge.

There was absolutely nothing there except for a bit of cheese – which wasn't looking all that fresh. Some wilted lettuce which she just knew he hadn't touched since it was bought, and a carton of milk.

Picking up the milk carton she shook it and took notice of the date. It was no surprise that it was two weeks old.

After throwing out the little food which was in the house, except the cereal, she made sure she had her wallet in her hip pouch and left to purchase some food.

Over the next half-hour Reika used some of her money, saved up from allowances given to her and her sister weekly, to pick up groceries from some of the stores and vendors. She had no problem spending money on food for Naruto. If he insisted he could always pay her back later.

When she got back to Naruto's it was almost seven thirty, so she wasn't surprised to find him still in bed. Instead of waking him up she put away the fresh milk, a few fruits and vegetables that she hoped to guilt trip the boy into eating, eggs, bread, and some juice.

After putting everything away she got everything ready to make some breakfast and a bento for their lunch.

She made some Tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), Octopus Sausages (which were just sausages made to resemble an octopus. Something her mother had always included in her and Sakura's bento's growing up), Onigiri that she made with finely chopped tomatoes and a few sesame seeds (which she would admit to being her favorite food, along with dango!).

Since she didn't really have the time to make homemade sushi and tempura (which was deep fried seafood, meat, or vegetables), she bought some from a vendor (Kabocha – Pumpkin – and shrimp in this case). She'd also bought some pickled cucumbers and ginger slices.

Putting together the bento boxes, which she'd learned to do by helping her mother make hers and Sakura's, took about half an hour for both. She packed it tightly with the different foods.

On one area she placed a lettuce leaf which she then put thinly sliced renkon (lotus root), cherry tomatoes, and some cabbage slices. Reika couldn't help but cackle lightly as she thought of Naruto's horrified look at the raw vegetables. She also sprinkled it with sesame seeds and salt.

Close by was a few pieces of sushi, and both kind of tempura (the kabocha and shrimp) with the pickled cucumber and ginger slices on the side. An onigiri was on another side, with a few octopus sausages, and tamagoyaki.

She also had small containers of teriyaki sauce and soy sauce placed inside, and a corner for peeled apple slices, blackberries, and strawberries.

It was a lot of food, but she knew getting Naruto to eat half of some of the things she'd place in the bento would be difficult.

He didn't commonly mind cooked vegetables or even if they were pickled, but he wasn't fond of raw vegetables. Hopefully the sauces and other foods would trick him into eating at least part of the vegetables in the bento.

It was about an hour and half before she finished and went to Naruto's bedroom to wake him. Opening the door, Reika stared at the hair sticking out of the covers like some sort of animal nest.

Smirking the redhead dusted her hands off on the orange apron she wore over her clothes, the only one in the apartment – no surprise there – and took off at a fast jog.

Jumping into the air Rei landed nearly on top of the slumbering blond boy.

"WAKE UP, NARUTO!" she yelled loudly.

Naruto was startled awake, sitting up with the covers falling down around his waist, and his eyes wide open. Blinking at the sunlight coming through his window, he turned at the sound of laughter.

Sitting on her knees was his best friend. He felt his cheeks burn red when he realized he was in a black shirt and boxers, and Reika was sitting in his bed next to him.

"Rei-chan, what are you doing here?"

Reika grinned, and got off the bed to stand beside it.

"I came to make sure you weren't late," she said, a hand on her hip. "Today is a big day. We're finally ninja, Foxy-kun."

Naruto grinned widely as her words sunk in. He threw back the covers without a thought and got out of bed, stretching his arms over his head.

Reika hid a small giggle – which she wouldn't admit was indeed a giggle of all the girly things – behind her hand as she caught the bright yellow and orange boxers Naruto wore. The little ramen bowls illustrated on them only added to just how Naruto-like they were.

Turning around at the sound, Naruto blinked before realizing he was standing there in just his boxers and shirt. Laughing at his horrified expression Reika turned and headed out of the room.

"When you're finished getting ready I made breakfast," she said, leaving the room completely.

Naruto's face lit up some at the aspect of food made by Reika. The only down fall was that she tended to try and force some of his most hated foods down his throat.

He knew she didn't mean it in an overbearing way, and he actually found it cute, but it didn't change the fact that he hated vegetables.

Though at least in most cases she cooked them, and tried to make them taste good. Checking the time he realized he didn't have time to shower, but he had the night before so he wasn't concerned about it.

Going through his drew he pulled out some orange pants, a black shirt, and his orange and blue jacket before heading to the bathroom to change.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Naruto entered his kitchen area a few minutes later, his hair still sticking up like he'd just rolled out of bed even though he'd previously been within inches of a hair brush.

On the small round table he had there was two plates. Both had an onigiri, some tamagoyaki and octopus sausages on them.

Reika stood at his counter wrapping the bento's in cloth. One cloth was an emerald green and gold, while the other was bright orange and silver. Both had the same swirling-spiral design.

"Wow, Rei-chan it looks great!" Naruto said, as he sat down. "But...how did you make this? I didn't have any of this in the fridge."

Reika finished wrapping the second bento and moved to sit across from him.

"I went to the store to pick up some things. Besides a few ramen cups you didn't have anything but dry cereal. I made everything except the sushi, tempura and pickled vegetables which I put in our bento's. The rest is in your fridge."

"You shouldn't have done that. I don't have the money to pay you back yet," Naruto muttered, head bowed as he used his chopsticks to pick up some of the food still on his plate.

Rei laughed, shaking her head.

"It's not charity Naruto, I did it because I wanted to. You don't need to pay me back, but if you insist it doesn't matter when." She smiled. "Let's finished eating and then head out. If we don't soon we'll be late."

Naruto nodded, grinned in his unique way, and both dug into their food.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Hehehe...finally I'm a ninja," Naruto muttered.

Reika smiled from where she sat beside him. On her other side was Sasuke, who as usual was sitting with a basically emotionless expression.

"Huh? Naruto, what are you doing here? You do know this is only for those who graduated."

Naruto raised his head from the table, and narrowed his eyes briefly at Shikamaru who'd been passing by. The blonde jinchūriki grinned and jerked his thumb at his forehead protector.

"What do you think this is, Shikamaru? This is the real deal, I'm a ninja, dattebayo!" he said and Shikamaru shrugged.

"Whatever."

Shikamaru went to the front row where he sat down, and everyone looked around as they heard the loud approaching footsteps.

"What the hell!?" Kiba exclaimed, and Akamaru ducked down under the desk to hide as if already knowing what the sound was.

"Let me through, pig!"

"I don't think so, forehead. I'm gonna sit beside Sasuke-kun!"

"In your dreams!"

Reika faced palmed, shaking her head in shame at her sister's antics. This was beyond sad, but Rei still had hope Sakura would grow out of it.

Crushes were usually pretty fleeting. Considering how emotionally constipated Sasuke was, Rei already knew her sister didn't stand a chance with the Uchiha.

Naruto jumped up when he saw Sakura looking in his direction, though in reality she was practically looking through him in order to get to Sasuke.

_'Sakura-chan...is she looking at me?' _Naruto thought with some embarrassment and hope._ 'Could she want to sit next to me...' _

"OUT OF THE WAY, NARUTO!" Sakura yelled, shoving him to the side where he hit the desk in the row across from where he'd sat.

Rubbing his head he watched as Sakura pushed past a surprised Reika to gush over Sasuke.

"Hello Sasuke-kun, can I sit next to you?" Sakura asked, hearts nearly dancing in her eyes.

Reika glared at her sister and stood, grabbing the back of Sakura's red dress, and pulling her away from the space between her and Sasuke's seats.

"Sakura, apologize to Naruto," Reika demanded, crossing her arms. "You could clearly see that the seats by Sasuke are already taken so why..."

"Rei, I didn't see you there," Sakura said, smiling at her little sister.

Reika's jaw dropped and her cat-like eyes widened. Ino who stood behind them watched with nearly as much surprise as Reika. Sure, the Yamanaka heiress had her eyes set on Sasuke, but she had seen that the seats next to him were already filled.

She already knew it was useless to try and get Naruto to move, he was stubborn like that. Though if Sakura had asked, Ino wasn't so sure if Naruto would have refused to move or not.

Everyone knew he had a crush on the pink haired girl, or at least he deluded himself into believing he did. Ino was certain that in the future it would be Naruto and Reika together, they just fit so well together.

A blind person could tell. Well, everyone except for Naruto and Reika themselves.

"Aneki..." Reika began slowly, but stopped once she realized Naruto had moved to crouch on top of the desk in front of Sasuke.

She tilted her head to the side, confused on what she was seeing. Sakura and her had moved closer to the aisle, and with intent of pulling Naruto off the desk Reika entered the space between their desk and the one behind them.

It was a mistake. As she got closer to the raven haired boy she tripped on what seemed like nothing or some could say her own feet.

At that same moment a boy in the next row down leaned back and his elbow hit Naruto in the back, forcing the boy off balance. As the blond headed towards a collision with Sasuke's lips he noticed Reika falling towards them.

It was already too late to stop his lips from making the terrible collision with Sasuke's, but Sasuke had leaned back to try and get away from the terrible fate, making Naruto's force push him out of his seat and to the ground.

On their way down Naruto snagged Reika's dress by the chest, which in effect caused him to also grope her.

Reika's shocked and outraged gasp made it clear the soft squishy thing he'd grabbed was her breast just before all three tumbled into a shocking dog pile.

The space they tumbled into was limited since there were only so much space between the rows of desk, so the entire class were treated to yelps, shouts and cries as they tried to disconnect themselves from each other.

It was almost like a cartoon where two animals get into a fight, and no one could see anything until the end when the smoke cleared to declare a winner.

In this case when it cleared and the noise stopped Naruto and Sasuke were no longer in their awkward positions, but in a new but equally as awkward position. Their limbs were tangled with each other, though Naruto seemed to have gotten out lucky.

Sasuke was on the bottom, Reika on top of him and they were in an awkward lip lock. Which looked to have shocked the two of them as much as it did Naruto who was on top of Reika, half sitting up.

His hands on either side of them to try and stop himself from squishing Reika and forcing the redhead and raven into another kiss.

**.**

**.**

**.**

In the Hokage's office the jōnin sensei's and Hokage all stared at the crystal ball in shock, and some in amusement.

One certain jōnin with silver hair chuckled.

"Aren't they a little young for that sort of thing" Kakashi stated, and some of the others snorted while Kurenai hit him in the arm.

"Be more serious, Kakashi. Poor girl, that was probably her first kiss," she said.

Asuma snickered.

"Poor girl indeed, but what about the other two? They probably just had their first kiss as well, and it probably wasn't what they expected. Added to the fact Uzumaki and Haruno are going to be the victims of the Uchiha fangirls' wrath."

"They'll make quite the interesting team for whoever is assigned them," an older, kindly voice said, and Kosuke stepped forward.

Kakashi looked up from his book, and smirked under his mask.

_'Hm, yes it is quite the interesting team. I just hope it doesn't fall apart, Team Seven has never had the best track record.'_ he thought to himself sadly.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Reika face turned red in both anger and embarrassment as she laid sandwiched between the two boys.

Both very attractive in their own rights. She wasn't blind after all (the irony of that would not be known to her for a few more months when she realized her feelings for a certain fox-like blond).

"Naruto you have ten seconds to get the fuck off me," she snapped coldly, before continuing, "And I swear to every known god that whoever is poking me better have a scroll in their pocket."

Both boys paled, and Naruto scrambled to get off his best friend, careful as to not trip and cause an even bigger spectacle of them. With a sigh of relief and still red cheeks, Rei rolled off Sasuke and jumped to her feet.

Sasuke was back on his feet soon after. None of them could meet the others' eyes.

"We never speak of this again," Sasuke said, his voice almost a growl as he glared at them, more fiercely at Naruto than Reika.

Both of the other two nodded, happy to put the incident behind them. Unfortunately they were the only ones who were willing to settle anything without violence. All three stood straighter as the harsh reality of cold fury behind made its presence known.

Naruto's eyes widened, he knew that feeling. It was cold like Reika's when he did something wrong, but it was worse. It was the dead cold of wronged fangirls. Turning slowly the three all saw the crowd of fangirls behind them, Sakura in the front cracking her knuckles.

Reika took a tentative step back, unsure exactly what to do.

"An..Aneki," she began, and Sakura's eyes became shadowed by her long pink hair.

"Imouto, Naruto-baka...HOW DARE YOU VIOLATE SASUKE-KUN!" She yelled, and Reika stared back at her dully.

"Are you serious?" Rei questioned, her eye twitching lightly. "Haha, if anyone was violated it was me. I was groped by both of those pervs. I need a disinfectant bath...and some mouth wash."

Sasuke and Naruto both had tick marks forming on their foreheads at her words, while Reika just stared at the ground mourning her sullied virtue.

"It was an accident," Naruto said, staring blandly at his friend.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted in agreement.

"EVERYONE SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!" Iruka yelled as he entered the room to see the crowd of fangirls taking steps towards Reika and Naruto.

With a groan the girls all dispersed and took seats. Naruto shot into his seat, and Reika reclaimed hers between Sasuke and Naruto.

_'That was mortifying,'_ Rei thought to herself. _'I can't wait for this day to end.' _

_**'AHHG, HOW DARE THEY STEAL SASUKE-KUN'S FIRST KISS! THEY'LL PAY FOR THIS, SHANNARO!' **_Inner Sakura raged as Sakura was forced to sit beside someone she didn't even know on the opposite side of the room.

Ino had taken the only free seat in the row above the one Sasuke sat in.

Sitting still the graduating class all half listened to Iruka's speech. The only thing that didn't change was the fact that Sasuke, Naruto and Reika all avoided looking at each other.

"You will all be placed on three man teams, to learn under a jōnin sensei. Now, I will call out your names along with your cell number."

_'Hn, teams of three...what a waste. More people to get in my way,'_ Sasuke thought as he glared at the desk.

_'Hmm, I really don't care whose on my team as long as we can work well together,'_ Reika thought as she leaned her cheek on the open palm of her hand. _'I do hope Naruto is on my team, at least I know we can work well together.'_

_'I have to be with Sasuke-kun!'_ Sakura thought, hand clinched into a fist.

_'Eh, as long as Sasuke isn't on my team It'll be great!' _Naruto thought, adjusting his headband._ 'Maybe I'll be on a team with Reika-chan and Sakura-chan.'_

"...Team Seven, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto..." Iruka began, and everyone listened for the last name to be called. "...and Haruno..." Sakura's eyes widened in hope only for it to be squished as Iruka finished, "...Reika."

"WHAT!" many fangirls yelled.

Sakura stood up suddenly while Naruto groaned at being stuck with Sasuke, and Reika's forehead hit the desk.

"Why is Reika with Sasuke-kun!?"

"Why am I forced to be with a bastard like Sasuke, Iruka-sensei!?" Naruto asked, pointing at the Uchiha.

"Don't get in my way, dobe," Sasuke said, glaring at the blond.

Reika groaned. _'We're doomed. Naruto will never be able to get along with Sasuke at this rate.'_

"What did you call me!?" Naruto shouted.

"SIT DOWN!" Iruka yelled, which had everyone silent and sitting once again.

"Good. Sakura, Reika is on Team Seven because she is the Kunoichi of the Year."

"What...bu-but I had the best scores in class..."

"Second best actually, Sakura. With the score of your exam added to the years you've been in my class, Reika surpassed your written scores by three points, and had by far the best practical scores. Second being Yamanaka Ino."

Sakura sat in shock, but acceptance. At least it was Reika who beat her out for Kunoichi of the Year. The pink haired girl, no matter what issues she had with her little sister, knew she could trust Reika not to make any moves on her Sasuke-kun.

"Naruto, you're on Team Seven because you have the worst scores of both the written and practical. We always place the Rookie of the Year, with the Kunoichi of the Year and the Dead Last."

Naruto blanched and sunk down into his seat, a metaphorical storm cloud over his head.

"Dammit," the blond muttered.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Reika asked as she sat on the window ledge with her lunch in her lap.

Naruto had devoured half of his already before he seemed to stand up straight like he'd been struck by lightning. He quickly closed the lunch and wrapped it back up hastily.

"To find Sakura-chan... maybe she'd like to eat lunch with us. You know, if her team hasn't already invited her."

Reika looked a little sad at his words, but nodded and turned her gaze back out the window. Naruto spared her one confused look before he left, and Reika sighed.

Looking down at her unfinished food, she was suddenly no longer hungry. Her feelings had become so confused lately. Even more so after what happened in class.

Once upon a time she'd been friends with not only Naruto, but Sasuke as well. Sure it was a brief friendship, but long enough that she'd mourned when the Massacre happened, and he came back to school a ghost of his former self.

His presence actually scared her. She wasn't scared of anything before...well besides for the dark but what child wasn't afraid of the dark?

Naruto hadn't really understood why she seemed so upset by his complete turn around in personality, he'd always had a rivalry with Sasuke. Soon thought the dark, somewhat scary version of her old friend had become normal. She'd moved on.

Naruto had become like an anchor to her over the years, even if he hadn't realized it. She actually looked up to how strong Naruto was, maybe not physically, but emotionally. In his place she doubted she'd have survived. He was her best friend.

The incident in class had shocked her. Not only had Sasuke and Naruto lost their first kisses to each other – which was embarrassing enough – but she'd ended up groped, and losing her first kiss to Sasuke of all people.

When she'd thought of her first kiss she didn't dream of it being like that. It wasn't the worst kiss in the world, but it wasn't what she'd wanted her first kiss to be. Definitely not sandwiched between two guys.

Reika shivered, banishing the memory from her mind.

Still, it could have been worse. She couldn't help but wish it had been Naruto who'd ended up stealing her first kiss though.

Shaking her head she sighed. Feelings be damned, she would continue to remain as much in denial as ever. For Haruno Reika was nothing if not stubborn.

Finishing her lunch, Reika continued to gaze out the window.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Hey, Sakura-chan do you want to have lunch with me and Reika-chan?" Naruto asked as he jogged up to the pink haired Haruno.

Sakura rolled her eyes, and turned around to face the annoying blond.

"Why would I want to eat lunch with you, even if Reika was there?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms. "Naruto, you're annoying. Now I have to go find Sasuke-kun."

"It's useless you know," a confident, but softer voice that didn't belong to the retreating pink haired girl said.

Naruto turned around to a dark haired girl, with hair in a high ponytail – which was probably no longer than shoulder blade length when loose.

She had a light complexion, large brown eyes. What caught his attention first was the tear troughs she had, even if not all that long or deeply set, and the deep purple rectangular mark on each cheek. He assumed they were clan markings.

She wore a dark blue hooded shirt without sleeves, a mesh armor shirt under her hooded shirt, a pair of upper-arm length fingerless gloves, and a black skirt split up to her hip bone on each side, similar to the skirt Ino wore.

Bandages were wrapped to what appeared to be mid-thigh, and shinobi sandals. Beside her was a creepy looking boy with black hair, very white skin, and a large painful looking smile on his face. Like he was trying too hard. Naruto was pretty sure it was fake.

"Huh?" he was able to get out and the girl smirked.

"We offered to have lunch with her too, since we're teammates, but she pretty much told us the same thing she told you. She's so far up the Uchiha's butt..."

"Hey! Sakura-chan..." Naruto tried to defend the girl, but his words left him.

What could he say for her? Sakura had been rude and to the point of what she meant. She was only interested in Sasuke. Naruto narrowed his eyes and clinched his hands into fist at his side.

No, he couldn't let that duck-ass win. Sakura just didn't understand that Sasuke wasn't worth her time. There had to be something he could do... Naruto's head snapped up suddenly as he got an idea.

"Sorry, but I've gotta go. It was nice to meet ya..."

The dark haired girl blinked, but answered, "Shirakumo Rin."

"Sai," the boy said, smiling. "Just Sai."

"Maybe we'll see each other again," Naruto said.

He gave one wave goodbye before taking off to find Sasuke himself. It took him a few minutes longer than he wanted, but he did finally find him.

He was in one of the empty classrooms, leaning against the window and looking out it as he ate. Not that dissimilar to how he'd left Reika minutes before. Naruto smirked, and began his plan.

It helped that Sasuke let his guard down when he ate, believing himself to be alone and that no one would try and attack during lunch.

_'Right, I only got one chance at this. I got to do it right the first time,' _Naruto thought to himself and then he jumped through the window once Sasuke had turned his back to it.

Across from them on a balcony area, Ino, Shikamaru and Chōji all watched in surprise as the sounds of a struggle inside reached them. They couldn't see what happened inside the room, but they could hear just fine.

"Naruto better not put one scratch on my Sasuke-kun," Ino raged, her hand clinched into a fist. "Reika really needs to put him on a leash!"

Shikamaru looked from the now closed wooden panel of the window, to Ino and blinked. Did his teammate just suggest that?

She did know friends didn't put leashes on each other, because if she even tried to do that to him and Chōji he'd give her the reality check of a lifetime.

Shikamaru already believed she was in need of one, her and the other graduating fangirls.

Seconds later the window was opened again and a raven haired boy jumped out, the usual look on his face which gave away nothing. Shikamaru sighed, kind of put out that Naruto didn't get the better of the Uchiha. It was to be expected though.

"How troublesome, looks like he beat Naruto without even breaking a sweat."

Ino practically squealed as she grinned.

"Of course he did, no one can beat my Sasuke-kun!"

Chōji and Shikamaru both rolled their eyes subtly, before they all went back to eating. 'Sasuke' having already jumped away and towards an unknown location.

Inside the room a bound and gagged raven haired boy remained, thinking of ways to kill the blond who'd gotten the jump on him.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Sakura sighed as she sat on a bench not far from the Academy. Her lunch sat beside her untouched, though she knew her mother would be upset if she didn't eat anything.

Slowly she reached over and picked up one of the Onigiri her mother had packed her.

Taking a few bites she sat the half eaten rice ball back down in her bento and ran a hand through her hair. Her thoughts led back to the disaster of today's class.

She'd been so sure she'd be put on a team with Sasuke, yet her sister had been instead. Sakura was happy that it wasn't some other girl on Sasuke's team but her sister, but that didn't mean she wasn't jealous.

It seemed these days Sakura was becoming more and more jealous of her sister.

She'd always had her little sister as far as she remembered, but both girls had been told when they were eight and Reika's bloodline became apparent that she wasn't Mebuki and Kizashi's biological daughter. Looking back on it Sakura had to wonder how they hadn't figured it out before considering they were the same age, but their birthdays were four months apart.

Sakura had been upset at first that her sister was really her distant cousin, but soon got over. Reika was still family, even if through a distant aunt's side of the family.

Haruno Tsubaki had been a respected member of the family, one of the very few ninja in the mainly civilian family, and the most well known. Though someone would sooner know who she was by her moniker of Shunshin no Megami (Goddess of Shunshin), one of the few to be famed for the use of the Shunshin no Jutsu.

Sometimes Sakura just felt over shadowed by her sister. Reika was smarter than her, if only by a little, and she had an awesome bloodline which got her even more attention. It was because of her some of the more well known clans even knew the Haruno name as more than owners of a bakery.

Reika was much better at being a kunoichi than her. It was true what Iruka had said earlier, she'd barely passed the practical lessons in the Academy, and that was because of help Reika offered her and her determination to get Sasuke's attention.

It was in written and books that Sakura shined, but Reika had always been just as good at that as she was.

Reika was as close to a prodigy as anyone could get without being recognized as a prodigy. No matter how much Sakura tried to deny it that had burned her over the years. She'd felt like her parents thought her to be less than Reika because she couldn't measure up to the redhead.

Reika was even prettier than she was. Even if Sakura had softer looking skin, and was without a single scar. Even with her much tamer, well cared for, pink hair, and bright leaf green eyes... she'd still not measured up to her little sister.

Reika was taller, if only by a little, and while she was petite she had more muscle and curves. Her breast were actually apparent, where as Sakura had always had a below average breast size as far as she was concerned. Reika was also without the over-sized forehead Sakura felt she was cursed with.

Sakura clinched her fist. She loved her sister, but she couldn't help but feel as she did.

_'How can I expect to win Sasuke-kun over like this!'_ she exclaimed mentally. _'Compared to Reika I'm just plain weak. Was this some kind of cosmic joke? We're mistaken for twins so often and yet we hardly look anything alike. Our hair falls similarly in the front and we both have green eyes, sans shade of them, but that's where the similarities really end. I won't be left behind anymore, I won't live in Rei's shadow anymore!' _

**'Yeah, we won't let Rei have Sasuke-kun to herself! We'll show him that we're the Haruno sister for him, even if it takes us years, Shānnarō!' **Inner Sakura cheered.

"Sakura-chan." The familiar voice shook her from her somewhat depressing thoughts.

Looking up the pink haired girls cheek became tinted a similar color to her own hair. In front of her, leaning against a tree a few feet away, was the object of her affections. All previous thoughts fled as she stared at the 'warm' black eyes of her crush.

"Sasuke-kun," she said, smiling shyly. "How are you? Do you want to have lunch with me?"

'Sasuke' smirked.

"You sure have a large charming forehead."

"Huh?" Sakura's eyes widened, as she stared at the last Uchiha.

"Makes me want to kiss it," 'Sasuke' said, and then he chuckled. "No, that sounds like something the dobe would think up."

Sakura was at a loss for words as they stared at each other. When he came closer to where she sat on the bench, she felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. This was like a dream for her, and she got lost in the feeling of finally being acknowledged by the boy she suddenly felt she was in love with.

_**'Even if that's true; Hell yeah, he's mine!'** _Inner Sakura shouted.

"Sakura, can I ask you something?" 'Sasuke' asked, sitting down on the bench beside her.

"Of course," Sakura said happily.

_**'This is it, he's going to admit his feelings for me!' **_Inner Sakura thought.

"Tell me, what do you think of Naruto?"

Sakura's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped momentarily. Of all the questions or confessions she'd imagined that had not been one of them.

Looking down at her lap, Sakura decided on what to answer.

"He's...annoying. Naruto just doesn't seem to care, and to make matters worse he loves to bug me. He's fooled my sister into being his friend so he can use her to get to me. I guess it's not completely his fault he's never had parents to control him, but that just makes him all the more lucky. He's never had anyone to tell him what to do, and I think part of him tries to use my parents as a way to act as if he did have parents. Naruto is just an attention seeking brat, who had delusions of being in love with me when all I really want...is for you to acknowledge me, Sasuke."

If she had been paying attention to anything else but herself she would have seen the wide almost horrified eyes of her 'beloved Sasuke'.

In reality she had more than one witness of her hurtful words. The real Sasuke hide a few feet away, but within hearing distance by a tree. The same could be said for Reika who hide in the opposite direction closer to the Academy.

Naruto himself felt rather heartbroken. True, he knew deep down that Sakura didn't like him, but he had no idea she truly felt that way about him.

Other than sadness over his crushes words, he felt a swelling of anger. He was a lot of things, but he would never use Reika just to get to Sakura.

The idea that Sakura had the guts to suggest it burned him, and he had to force himself not to call her out on it. To defend himself and his friendship with Rei.

"So, what do you think, Sasuke-kun? About me I mean, do you think we have a chance?" Sakura asked, turning to look hopefully at the raven haired boy.

He schooled his expression into a natural Sasuke-like one, but before he could really get anything out Sakura scooted closer to him, fluttered her eyes closed and puckered her lips, which were lightly coated with pink lip gloss.

Something he couldn't help but notice Reika didn't wear. She wore chap-stick sometimes, but she didn't really bother with make-up like most the girls in the Academy did.

_'She...she wants me to kiss her,' _Naruto realized in surprise.

Before he might have jumped at the chance and a part of him had already forgiven Sakura for her words, he was never good at holding grudges.

As he stared at the expectant pink haired Haruno he realized with a start that he didn't want to kiss Sakura.

The idea felt wrong. Not only because he was in the disguise of his rival. This was deeper. At the mere thought the anger from before rose. It wasn't as powerful as when she'd first spoken her hurtful words about him, and he almost felt sick to his stomach. His heart clinching in his chest.

_'I...can't kiss her. I don't understand exactly why, but every time I get close my stomach get this sick feeling, and my heart tightens. Not in the way it did before either...could I not like Sakura like I thought I did?'_ Naruto's thoughts were chaotic.

He shook his head before shooting to his feet.

Thinking fast he wrapped his arms around his stomach and danced from one foot to the other while groaning in discomfort.

"Uhhg... I'm sorry Sakura, but I've gotta go. Nature calls!" he said, and took off in the direction of the nearest bathroom.

He didn't in fact have to use the bathroom, nor was he sick, but he just wanted to get out of the situation he'd been in.

Sakura was left on the bench alone, confused on what had just happened and convinced Sasuke was just nervous and would be back.

**.**

**.**

**.**

About a minute, maybe two, later Sakura saw Sasuke walking towards her. She stood with a large grin lighting up her face, but she was taken by surprise when he didn't even look at her, he simply continued walking.

Though he didn't react to her presence he knew she was there, he'd arrived to find Naruto just in time to hear what Sakura had to say about him. Though he hated the blond he'd always felt a sort of kinship with him as well. Sakura's words had upset even the usually cold Uchiha. Any respect he might have had for the girl was gone with her words, not that he'd had much to begin with. The only thing to respect about her was her book smarts. Otherwise she was rather useless in Sasuke's opinion.

"Sasuke-kun, where are you going?" she asked. "Aren't you ready yet? I was thinking..."

"Don't," Sasuke interrupted, before he continued. "Just tell me, have you seen Naruto or your sister?"

Sakura blinked.

"Naruto...or my sister?" she echoed, then she chuckled and shook her head. "Oh, you're so funny Sasuke-kun. Why would you care about them? My Imouto is a bit of a spoiled brat, she gets away with murder at home. My parents seem to think she can do no wrong, they let her get away with so much. She thinks she's so great because of her bloodline, when in reality she doesn't even know what she's doing with it half the time. Don't get me started on Naruto. He's so annoying, all he does is fight with you and get in our way. He doesn't even have any parents, he wasn't raised properly like you or I. He never gets in trouble because he has no parents to get mad at him. If I did half the things he's done I'd be in so much trouble. He's so lucky, all alone with no parents to..."

Sakura's childish rant was interrupted by Sasuke, who looked at her through narrowed eyes. For once his gaze didn't fill her with joy or warmth, they terrified her.

She'd never seen so much hate directed at her before.

"Sasuke..." she began slowly, but his fierce look stopped her.

"Don't...just don't," he began. "Do you even hear yourself? Yes, Naruto wasn't raised like everyone else with parents, but the sadness of having a parent yell at you is nowhere near what he feels. Being alone, it's a pain you could never understand. You're the lucky one and you don't even realize it. Instead you belittle not only Naruto, but your own sister. Did you ever stop to think that maybe Reika doesn't mean to come off as spoiled. That it's your parents that treat her that way, and not her who asked them to do so. Did you ever think that her bloodline might be more a burden to her?"

Images of his own childhood, overshadowed by his prodigious older brother. A brother who once cared for him, gave him piggy back rides, and tried to be there to train him when he had time.

The pressure his brother got because of his genius and mastery of the Sharingan had been great. He imagined Reika felt something similar being a first generation bloodline user.

Banishing the images of him, and the night his clan was slaughter from his mind, Sasuke turned away from the shocked stiff girl.

"Older siblings are supposed to look after and protect their younger siblings," he said, before sending one last cold look at Sakura. "You... are annoying."

Sakura watched with tearful eyes as Sasuke walked away, never once looking back. It would be the most anyone had heard him say, and would forever be burned into Sakura's mind.

.

.

.

It was only about ten feet away that he found Reika, hiding behind a tree.

From her silent tears he realized she must have heard everything Sakura had said, maybe even to the disguised Naruto just as he had.

Stopping, he noticed she'd actually regain control of herself and stopped crying before she turned to acknowledge his presence. She gave a shaky smile.

Reika had no idea her sister felt as she did about her, or even Naruto for that matter. She'd known Sakura really disliked Naruto, but not to that extent. The redhead hadn't been aware of any of what was said about her though. Rei had thought she and Sakura had a great sisterly bond.

When they were little they told each other everything, but they had drifted apart over the years. With such different personalities it was hard not too, but she didn't think it had gotten this bad.

She knew her parents were more lenient with her, but she'd never asked them to give her any special treatment. She hadn't even noticed they were. She'd always felt they were equally fair to both of them.

Especially considering they dealt with two teenaged daughters who they felt were still children but were in fact considered adults by law.

She knew the ninja and civilians looked at her a littler differently because of her bloodline, but she'd not realized it had affected Sakura as it had.

Hearing her sister's words had hurt her. Reika was a tough girl, she hadn't cried since she was six when she fell out of a tree and broke her arm.

She'd never let words get the best of her, but this had struck a cord within the redhead. Part of her was angry with Sakura, the other was sad.

She also couldn't help but be touched that Sasuke had defended her, and even Naruto. She'd never heard him speak so much at once, not since before the Massacre at least.

"Thank you, Sasuke, for defending Naruto and I," Reika said, and the dark haired boy nodded.

"Hn," he grunted. "It was nothing. Since we're going to be teammates you can help me find Naruto."

Reika nodded, running a hand through her hair as she stepped out from her hiding place and the two began walking.

"Naruto is in that direction," she said, pointing towards the closest bathroom in the Academy building.

"How do you know?"

"I'm a sensor type, I've gotten so used to Naruto's chakra signature finding him is easy for me," Rei said.

"Hn."

Reika took that as an acknowledgment, and the two continued walking to the Academy.

**.**

**.**

**.**

A few hours later the newly formed Team Seven sat in an empty classroom waiting for their jōnin sensei to arrive.

He was by far the latest of any of the other jōnin. It had been nearly three and a half hours since they'd been assigned their teams and the other genin had been picked up by their sensei's.

Reika sat with her head cushioned by her arms as she laid it on the desk in front of her. For the first hour she'd read, the second hour she'd spent working a little on the scrolls for her bloodline; carefully since they were supposed to be rather secret.

Not that anything in the scroll could be replicated by anyone if someone get get a hold of it. She normally carried a lot of scrolls on her, it was why her hip pouch had a special second just for scrolls making it a bit larger than the normal pouch.

By now she felt a headache coming on, and her left eye was beginning to twitch every few minutes. Naruto was trying and failing to sit still, complaining every ten or fifteen minutes about how late their sensei was. Sasuke was handling it the best, or at least on the outside he appeared to be. On the inside he was just as annoyed as Naruto and Rei.

"What the fuck is taking this guy so damn long," Rei said more than asked, blowing a chunk of her messy bangs out of her face.

They framed her face very similarly to Sakura's, mostly on coincidence, but her's were much longer than Sakura's own bangs, and not as tame. Especially the right side.

"Hehe, I know!" Naruto suddenly said, and moved around the room with a large wicked grin.

Sasuke watched as the blond grabbed chalk erasers and got to work on some sort of trap, which he realized might have been useful if it hadn't been used for a prank, but something deadly instead.

"Pft...like a jōnin would really fall for such a simple trick..." he began, but suddenly the door began to open and the genin sat up in order to see what would happen.

Naruto watched in anticipation as the booby trap was tripped and the chalk filled eraser fell, impacting a man in the top of his head. The man look more confused and unconcerned than upset or annoyed. His eyes, or more like eye, had a visibly lazy look to them and were somewhat heavily lidded.

It kind of reminded them of the look Reika got when something was said or happened that she didn't find particularly worth her time. The man was tall, and had strange silver gravity defying hair, his hitai-ate covering one of his eyes, and his face was covered from the nose down by a black face mask.

He wore common jōnin attire, a dark shirt and pants, and a jōnin flak jacket over this. Metal plated fingerless gloves on his hands and shinobi sandals.

Naruto burst into laughter, pointing at the jōnin.

"Hahaha, you fell for it!"

Reika smirked, sitting up with amusement dancing in her head. Mentally she was just as excited as Naruto about the whole thing. Sasuke on the other hand looked away, clearly unimpressed.

"Huh..." Kakashi began, running a hand through his chalky hair. He had to force the twitch of his visible eye down, not wanting to show any form of reaction to the prank. "...how...unimpressive."

Naruto stopped laughing, sending a small glare at the man. Reika just shrugged, while Sasuke let his attention back to what their sensei to see what he had to say. His only interest was being able to train again, and learn from a competent jōnin so he could get closer to his goal.

"How can I make this as clear as possible?" Kakashi asked, rubbing his chin with a small eye-smile. "My first impression of you guys..." He opened his eye and pointed at them one by one. "I hate you...you...and yes, even you."

The three of them had a deadpanned expression, an air of depression surrounding them, some more apparently than others.

"Meet me on the roof," he said and disappeared in a shunshin.

"That's our sensei," Sasuke began, shaking his head as he walked out the classroom door. "He seems like an Idiot. Like the dobe."

Naruto gritted his teeth, glaring at the ravens back before following after him, Reika close beside him. Once on the roof they all sat on the steps. There were only two or three and led to a greenhouse-like area. There were actually only tree's there, but they had been there for many years. Having been planted by the Shodai's wife.

"So, how about we start with introductions," Kakashi said. "Just something simple. Your likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, hobbies, stuff like that."

"Why don't you go first, sensei," Reika said, smiling and brushing her hair over her shoulder. The red locks pooled on the ground around and behind her, being as long as it was.

Kakashi blinked before nodding.

"Meh, why not. My name is Hatake Kakashi. I don't care to be bothered telling you about my likes and dislikes, to be honest you're a little young to hear about them. Dreams for the future...eh, I'm sure I'll have some but if I'll remember them when I wake up is another matter. As for hobbies...once again you're much too young to be worried about that."

The three genin looked at him blandly.

"You're a strange person," Rei muttered, a frown set on her face.

"All we learned was his name," Naruto grumbled under his breath.

Kakashi smirked under his mask, before pointing at the blond.

"Why don't you go first, Blondie," he said, and Naruto perked up, adjusting his forehead protector.

"Me! Ah, well my name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like Cup Ramen, watering plants and Reika's food. I dislike the three minutes it takes for the ramen to cook though, and I don't like it when my plants die. My dream..." Naruto grinned. "My dream is to become Hokage, and protect my precious people and the village from harm. As for hobbies, I like pranks I guess, and training in fūinjutsu and other areas with Reika-chan!"

Kakashi looked at him for a moment and couldn't help but smile a little under his mask. The boy was different than some of his file portrayed, it was obvious he wasn't as stupid as some made him out to be.

In fact, Kakashi dare say he was reminded of his sensei and Kushina. To be expected he supposed, he was their son. What had taken him off guard was his obvious interest in fūinjutsu at such a young age. He honestly hadn't expected them to know much beyond the Academy three jutsu and taijutsu style.

"I see, you next then broody."

Sasuke seemed to glare momentarily.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things I dislike, but I don't particularly like anything. I won't use the word dream because I intend to make it a reality. I will restore my clan, and kill a certain someone."

Reika couldn't help but look at Sasuke with some sadness, though not pity. She hated pity and she wouldn't give any to anyone else as long as she could help it. Naruto had a strange look on his face as he scooted away from Sasuke a little.

_'I thought as much,' _Kakashi thought.

"Come on, teme, I already said I was sorry for earlier."

Sasuke glared over at him, and said, "Not you, dobe."

"Now, how about you Red."

Reika looked over at him and nodded.

"My name is Haruno Reika. I like...a lot of things. My family, Foxy-kun, and reading. I like exploring new areas of being a ninja, like ninjutsu, taijutsu, fūinjutsu, and medical ninjutsu. I also enjoy working with my bloodline, the Mahōton. I like onigiri and dango. I also like cooking. I hate those who can't see beyond their own nose, and those who harm my precious people. My hobbies include cooking, reading, training and working with my bloodline. My dream for the future is a bit complicated I guess, I wish to help Naruto with his dream of becoming Hokage, surpass Tsunade of the Sannin, and to start a family with someone I love someday."

_'Interesting. I have an avenger, supposed dead last, and kunoichi with her head on right. Thank god for small miracles, I feared I might actually get stuck with a fangirl in the beginning. There is usually always one on each team,'_ Kakashi thought with a relieved mental sigh.

"Well then, we'll start our duties tomorrow."

"Huh, what are we going to be doing, sensei?" Naruto asked, actually rather calm for once, but he still wore a big fox-like grin to show his excitement.

"Duties, but first we'll do something else. Survival training."

"Huh?" echoed around the roof, as each of them stared at Kakashi.

"Why are we doing something like that?" Sasuke asked.

"Hm, are you really complaining about training, Sasuke?" Reika asked with a smirk, and Sasuke simply grunted.

"Hehehe..." Kakashi snickered.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked, eyes narrowed.

"It's nothing really, but I suppose I'll have to tell you. When I do you're not gonna like it."

"What sensei?" Reika asked. "It can't be that bad."

Kakashi chuckled.

"Well you asked. Of the thirty graduates only between nine and twelve will be chosen as genin. Usually it's just nine, but we had more graduates this year than normal, so the average goes up. Those who aren't chosen will be sent back to the Academy. The training is a difficult exam with a failure rate of over sixty-six percent."

"Wh—what!" Naruto yelled, eyes wide in fright and disbelief. "What the hell, we worked our asses off to graduate! What was the point of that!?"

Kakashi titled his head to the side a little, before he answered, "Oh that, that was simply to weed out those who had a chance of becoming a genin to those who didn't.

Reika's eye twitched.

_'Weed out the ones who couldn't become genin? If that was the case than you'd think less students would have graduated or the average of genin teams that pass this test would be more.' she thought with a mental sneer. _

Kakashi shrugged as he stood up.

"Anyway, be at the training field bright and early tomorrow for your test. Bring everything you think you'll need, and skip breakfast, otherwise you'll throw up."

Naruto and Sasuke didn't really react to the advice of skipping breakfast, but Reika was suspicious of their could-be sensei. Her mother had told her and Sakura for years that no one, not even a shinobi, should skip breakfast.

It was an important meal. As ninja, Rei knew they'd need the energy, so why would he tell them to skip breakfast?

Even if they threw up because of training, that was always a risk even for ninja on missions. With enough force and the correctly placed punch or kick anyone could throw up. Throwing up never stopped a ninja before as far as she knew.

For now she chose not to voice her suspicions, at least not until Kakashi was gone.

"These printouts have all the details you'll need to know," Kakashi said, handing the three a piece of paper which was neatly written out with kanji.

Naruto's eyes nearly seemed to cross as he tried to take in all the kanji on the page. He could read kanji, he just hated reading kanji because it took so much time.

"Well then, I'll see you three tomorrow," Kakashi said, eye-smiling. "Don't be late."

the jōnin disappeared with a swirl of leaves and the three genin where left to themselves.

"This is unbelievable," Naruto grumbled. "Another test."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, crumbling the paper up in his fist. "It doesn't matter, I'll pass."

Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pocket, leaving the crumbled up printout behind as he headed for the exit. He needed to get home so he could train for tomorrow.

"Wait," Rei said, stopping both boys in their tracks after a few seconds.

"What?" Sasuke asked, barely turning to look at the redhead.

"What Kakashi-sensei said about the test, it doesn't make sense," she began. "Not the test itself, but about not eating tomorrow. You don't need to listen to me, but I think it would be best if we all ate breakfast."

Naruto blinked in surprise, before saying, "But Rei-chan, he told us if we did we'd throw up."

"Don't be stupid, Naruto-kun," Reika said, shaking her head. "I know you have a brain, use it. We eat to gain energy, I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to train on an empty stomach. I'd rather risk throwing up."

"You've got a point," Sasuke muttered, before continuing to leave the roof. "See you tomorrow, Haruno, Dobe."

"Bastard," Naruto grumbled as he glared at the Uchiha retreating back.

"Come on, Naruto, we'll go to Ichiraku's before I have to head home," she began, with a smile. "You should have enough food from what I made this morning to feed yourself tomorrow. Don't forget what I said, remember to eat. Chances are that sensei will late, again."

she frowned deeply as she said this last part, hating the idea of wasted time that could be used to train. Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head before he nodded.

"I won't forget, and thanks Rei-chan."

"For what?"

Naruto grinned brightly.

"For being my friend."

Reika wasn't sure what brought that on, but decided it didn't matter. Instead the two just continued to head towards the ramen stand.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**AN: So, it turned out much longer than I had originally wanted, but there were simply scenes I felt the chapter couldn't do without. **

**For example I struggled with how to go about the classroom scene where Naruto and Sasuke are pushed into one another. It was done with Reika's inclusion for humor sake. This chapter marks the start of Team Seven beginning to take their first steps as ninja, and as such there won't be quite as much humor in future chapters once they pass the bell test.**

**We also got to see my newest OC, Shirakumo Rin. Team Eleven, Sakura's team, will be seen more in the future. Speaking of Sakura, I think she turned out a little more bashed in this chapter than I had wanted. I don't like outright bashing characters. I don't particularly care for Sakura even in Shippūden, and think she's useless in earlier episodes of Naruto before she studied under Tsunade, but I try to be as fair to her as I can. **

**The bashing she took this chapter though was needed, a first step to her becoming a true Kunoichi in the future as part of Team Eleven. It also showed just how many unresolved and unknown issues Sakura and Reika have as sisters.**


	6. Teamwork

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Tomorrow.**

**Chapter 5: Teamwork. **

Reika woke a hour later than she usually would, which caused her to panic until she saw the hitai-ate on the dresser.

She grinned and showered before throwing her hair into a quick low ponytail (though usually she wore it down she thought for the test it would be best if it wasn't flying around wildly).

She dressed in her one-sleeved green dress, shorts, sandals and mesh armor undershirt before trying to figure out how to wear her headband. The first instinct was to wear it around her neck but it felt uncomfortable.

Wearing it on top of her head, like she'd noticed Sakura and a few other girls from their class doing was comfortable, but it made her look too much like Sakura for her liking.

In the end she wore it in the traditional way, around her forehead, keeping her bangs out of her eyes.

"Have a good test," Mebuki told Reika as the redhead finished her apple and ran out the front door.

"That girl," Mebuki mussed to herself, shaking her head. "It seems she's always running."

****.****

****.****

****.****

By the time she got to the training ground Sasuke and Naruto were already there glaring at each other. She sighed, it didn't surprise her.

"How long have you two been here?" she asked.

"Three hours, since five," Sasuke said, not bothering to not answer.

"Hey Rei-chan!" Naruto said with excitement and a smile. "I haven't been here that long, only about two hours."

"Oh," she said, and then smiled. "Did you eat this morning?"

Sasuke and Naruto both made faces and looked down as their stomachs betrayed them and she chuckled. Reaching into the pouch at her side she pulled out a medium sized scroll. Putting some chakra into it after unrolling it on the ground a few apples and oranges appeared out of it.

"I thought you might, so just in case I brought along some fruit," she said. For several seconds there was silence, and she sighed her eye twitching as she placed one hand on her hip. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for!?"

Naruto grinned and dived into the small pile of apples, taking two to eat under the tree. Sasuke accepted one, if only to avoid Rei's temper.

Rei grinned happily, and took an apple for herself before joining Naruto under the tree, Sasuke leaned against the other side of the same tree. Either on purpose or by coincidence didn't matter.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Sakura had been avoiding her sister since Sasuke's reaction to her words the day before. At dinner she avoided eye contact and never once spoke directly to the redhead. She wasn't sure what to say, there was just so many unresolved issues that she hadn't realized had been between them.

Reika seemed to be content not speaking to her as well though.

Sakura was pretty sure their parents (overbearing as they were) had noticed. For now they didn't say anything. She woke up early the next day in order to meet her sensei and teammates at training ground ten. Not only to make a good impression but so she could avoid Rei as well.

Sakura had met her sensei briefly yesterday, but only so he could explain who he was and when they'd have the real exam. She'd been horrified and shocked to see a man old enough to be her grandfather was her sensei.

Really, what could he possibly teach them without breaking something in his old age?

It was Rin who pointed out that Kosuke-sensei was younger than the Hokage himself. Even if he was called the Eternal Genin he was said to be as strong as any jōnin.

"I see you're all here on time, good," Kosuke said kindly, entering the training ground. "I hope you all ate a good breakfast. As ninja you'll need the energy."

As if on command, Sakura's stomach growled and she inwardly cursed at not eating breakfast. It had been a rash decision after all.

"Hm," Kosuke hummed before smiling. "No mater, there is time for that later. Before the test lets get to know each other better."

"What do you mean, sensei?" Sakura asked as they all sat down on logs.

"Well, when I was nearly your age on my first team my teacher told us of how the first had suggested to my sensei that a team should tell their likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams to each other. It had worked well on his first genin team years before so he used it for us as well. It's been a bit of a tradition among teams since."

"You mean the Shodaime Hokage... you knew him?" Sakura asked her eyes wide in surprise. Sai and Rin also appeared startled, though with Sai the emotion as fleeting as it was may have been fake.

Kosuke laughed. "I had heard stories, but he died before I graduated the Academy. By the time I graduated the Nidaime, his brother was Hokage. Tobirama-sensei was a rather strict man, but a good one." Kosuke smiled. "My name is Maruboshi Kosuke, I am known as the Eternal Genin of Konoha. My likes are many, my dislikes few. I enjoy cooking and training in some of my spare time. As for dreams... I suppose it's to train you three to be the best you can be now."

Rin smiled, and nodded as she said, "I'll go next. My name is Shirakumo Rin. My likes include training, especially in kenjutsu. I also enjoy swimming and rain storms. I dislike freezing or snowy weather, and azuki beans. My dream is to become a great kunoichi and live up to my Aunt Rin's legacy in my own way."

Sakura looked taken aback by Rin's words. Compared to what Sakura had to say... well, Sakura wasn't so sure about herself anymore.

"I'll speak next. My name is Sai. I do not have anything I dislike in particular and I suppose I like drawing. I have no dreams."

Sakura looked down as eyes turned to her. For once she felt shy.

"Oh, my name is Haruno Sakura. I like... my dislikes..." she trailed off, wondering why every answer came back to Sasuke. "My dream is..."

Kosuke smiled kindly again.

"It's okay not to know the answers right now, Sakura. Give it time, you'll figure it out." Kosuke stood. "Now your test is simple. You must defeat me in a fight."

**.**

**.**

**.**

They waited another hour before Kakashi finally showed up.

"You're late!" Naruto shouted.

Reika crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the jōnin, while Sasuke said and did nothing more than stare coldly at the man. Clearly all three were unimpressed with being left waiting for over three hours.

"Sorry about that, I got lost on the road of life," Kakashi said, setting down an alarm clock and two boxed lunches. He sat the alarm on the clock before turning back to the three waiting genin.

"Okay now that that's out of the way, let's begin," he began, giving them one of his common eye-smiles and pulling two bells on red string from where they were hooked at his waist. "There are only two bells. Your test is simple; take the bells from me before noon and time runs out. The one without a bell doesn't get lunch and goes back to the Academy."

Reika's usually heavy lidded eyes, commonly with an almost bored gaze, widened. "But that makes no sense..." she stated, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow as if challenging her to argue.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and thought about it. Reika was right, it didn't make much sense. He'd never once heard of that happening. He'd been in the Academy longer than Sasuke or Reika and he'd seen graduates come back but always in three.

Either they all passed or they all failed, at the time he hadn't cared to wonder why certain graduates returned to the Academy. He just assumed they backed out or were sent back for being terrible shinobi. As a five or six year old he'd never cared to question it.

Other than Reika many didn't bother looking passed what he portrayed. He might be a bit dense in some situations, and he may not be as smart as others like Shikamaru or even Sasuke, but he wasn't stupid. He learned better by doing, and that was one of the reasons he'd failed so much in class.

Not only was Iruka the only one willing to truly help him instead of hinder him, but most of the students he was pit against in things such as s_hurikenjutsu_ or taijutsu were clan heirs or clan children in general and had training outside of class.

Something was definitely fishy about the test they were given, but he wasn't sure what.

"Maybe it doesn't, but that's the test I'm giving," Kakashi said, and he shook his hand making the bells clink together. "Now, you have... well looks to be about an hour... to take these bells from me. You might want to come at me with intent to kill, otherwise you'll fail."

Naruto suddenly laughed, his deep thoughts pushed back to the corner of his mind as he remembered the lack of skill the jōnin had shown the other day when he failed to dodge his prank.

"Hahaha... you can't even dodge a blackboard eraser, what chance do you have against the three of us?" Naruto questioned, causing Kakashi to unintentionally raise an eyebrow.

_'He doesn't even realize he basically just gave everyone the answer to this test,' _Kakashi thought with a sigh.

"You know Naruto, it is usually those who are the most arrogant or speak the loudest that have no talent," Kakashi said, before shrugging as if he had no care in the world. With how lazily he stared at everything it was no surprise. "For now we'll ignore Mr. Dead Last and start when I say..."

Reika sighed as she saw Naruto's temper snap, and all rational thought fly out the proverbial window.

"Dead last! Dead last!?" Naruto shouted, reaching down and snagging one of his kunai. "I'll show you dead last!" He rushed forward before Reika could even attempt to stop him, and she knew he wouldn't.

Naruto hated when people labeled him like that, and she couldn't blame him. She had a temper herself and when worked up tended to rush headlong into something before properly thinking it over. All three of them were left stunned silent when Naruto was grabbed in mid-run, the hand with the kunai in it twisted behind him and aimed at his own neck. Blinking they realized Kakashi was now behind Naruto, one hand on his head, and the other twisted Naruto's arm behind him.

"So..so fast," Rei muttered. She was quick on her feet, always being a fast runner even for a genin but she was nowhere near the speed of Kakashi and she realized right then just how much of a difference was between a jōnin and a genin.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. He was startled for a split second but he'd expected this from a jōnin. It was understandable Reika and Naruto were stunned, but Sasuke remembered somethings from growing up surrounded by other shinobi of his clan.

"Huh, it looks like you're ready to kill me... that's good, but I never said go, Naruto," Kakashi said. "You've begun to acknowledge me it seems as well... good. I may just start to like you three after all... now... begin!"

.

**.**

**.**

Reika nearly had to drag Naruto into a hiding spot, Sasuke going in the opposite direction to find his own spot. She sighed as she yanked the complaining blond onto the ground beside her.

"Are you completely suicidal?" she said lowly, eyes narrowed at her best friend. "He's a jōnin, Naruto. We don't stand a chance."

"We've got to try!" he argued and she sighed.

"i know, but..." she groaned, shaking her head. "I don't know if it'll make a difference."

Naruto frowned, and after a few seconds he nodded. "I've got an idea. I'll distract him, you stay here and think of a strategy. If we have to we'll ask the bastard for help."

Reika looked up at the seriousness she heard in his voice, and nearly gasped at the determined look in his eyes. Though she'd seen it before she hadn't seen it like this. Used in a situation that... almost mirrored something that could happen on a real mission.

Genin had no hope of defeating a jōnin though... not alone.

_'If we have to we'll ask the bastard for help...' _Naruto's words echoed in her mind and she gasped.

That was it, that had to be the point of the test. Before she could utter a word to Naruto she realized he'd already gone charging in. looking through the green leaves she saw Naruto begin his attack on Kakashi. Kakashi had a book in hand she barely made out the title on and her eyes narrowed further.

"Kick his ass, Foxy-kun!" she yelled from her hiding place, before jumping into a tree to get a better look at the fight, and not give away her hiding place.

Logically she knew it wasn't going to do more than distract Kakashi. She watched as Kakashi easily ducked under a kick to the face, and then a follow up kick to sweep his legs out from under him he simply jumped over.

Naruto's eyes widened when his punch hit air, and he heard Kakashi's voice from behind him.

"As ninja you're not supposed to get caught from behind, idiot." Kakashi's hands formed into a seal and Reika and Sasuke both looked on in surprise. They both realized what that hand seal would lead to, since the tiger seal was common in fire jutsu.

"Would he..." Reika's eyes turned cold and she jumped from the tree. She ran towards Naruto, and to her surprise it was Sasuke who yelled a warning to the blond.

"Hehe, too late," Kakashi said, and thrust his hand forward. "Sennen Goroshi (One Thousand Years of Death)!"

Rei stopped in mid-run, staring with wide disbelieving eyes as Naruto was poked in the ass and shot into the air with a shout of pain. Her jaw had literally dropped. She'd never heard of such a technique... and how ridiculous it was.

"You...you've got to be kidding me!" she yelled, hands going to grip her hair. "That's not a ninjutsu, it's just a stupid ass poke..."

From his spot in the trees Sasuke sighed.

"They're both total morons."

Naruto splashed into the lake, Rei growled low in her throat in frustration, and fell into a stance before attacking Kakashi herself. Kakashi chuckled at the fiery redhead, and used his arm to block a forceful right-hook. He would admit, for such a slight girl she packed a punch.

"You're pretty temperamental, huh?" he questioned, and grabbing her forearm he threw her over his shoulder.

Instead of hitting the tree she twisted around in the air and landed gracefully on her feet. She threw her hands out and muttered something foreign, probably another language which vaguely seemed like English to his ears.

"Stupefy," Reika muttered, recalling what she'd read in her mother's old school books.

The red light sped towards Kakashi from her hand. Kakashi's eye widened at the unknown technique, which he assumed was something to do with her bloodline – and he was somewhat correct. The spell was somewhat part of her bloodline, but it wasn't something created by her so it didn't need hand seals of any kind.

The difference was this connected directly to her magical core, making the spell pure magic instead of chakra-magic that was part of her bloodline. It was more tiring, using just magic, then it was using her bloodline. She tended to try and avoid it.

She didn't wait for him to dodge, she knew he would. Instead she rushed back into a taijutsu match with him, using her natural flexibility to avoid Kakashi, along with her speed.

Still she knew he was playing games with her, he could end it at any time. Instead he humoured her, but it angered her to see him calmly evading every hit, while using one arm and reading a book for perverts.

Finally she had enough and formed a few quick hand seals.

"Mahōton: Kasai no Rensa (Magic Release: Chains of Fire)!"

It was something new she was working on. From reading about elemental magic she knew it was possible, and fire had been the easiest element for her to fuse with what she wanted the offensive/defensive technique to do.

She would admit her inspiration was found in what they'd learned about the Uzumaki clan. Some had the ability to manifest chakra chains, and it had been reading this that allowed her to complete the jutsu.

Around her glowing orange-yellow chains irrupted, flames along every inch of the chains, even the sharp serrated kunai tips. She had control of these chains, and they shot towards Kakashi. Some going to pierce his body, others to wrap around him and restrain.

She saw emotions welling in Kakashi's visible eye. Part as if he were seeing a ghost; surprise, realization, even some grief before the jutsu struck.

Charred wood chunks hit the ground, and she ended the jutsu, dropping her arms to her side and sinking to one knee. It may have been one of her most powerful and recent creations... but it came with its risks.

One of which was that it took a lot of chakra-magic to use. If she tried using it with pure chakra it would fail spectacularly. She may have large reserves but she was nowhere near a high-chūnin or jōnin. She gasped at the weight of a foot against her back when she went to stand.

"That's rather good, you surprised me with that last jutsu... but you should never let your guard down," Kakashi said, placing his foot back on the ground and grabbing her by the collar of her dress before throwing her towards the water Naruto had been dropped into nearly two minutes before.

"Dammit! I won't fail here!" Naruto said as he and a dozen clones burst out of the water, Reika coming up for air a second later to watch the doomed attack on Kakashi.

"Naruto, retreat! I've got a plan!" she yelled, having no choice but to shout so he'd hear her.

Reika groaned as she pulled herself out of the water, her stomach beginning to growl. With all the chakra she'd used and how active she was now running on fumes of what her breakfast had been. She was sure the boys had it worse, they hadn't ate quite as much as her.

As she stood she realized Naruto's attack had failed, and Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. This left Naruto and his group of clones yelling at each other as they beat themselves up. Stalking forward she grabbed the real Naruto, or who she thought was the real one by the ear.

"What do you think you're doing!?" she yelled, and the clone popped.

The rest of the clones did as well upon seeing the angered redhead, and Naruto winced.

"Ow, you can be so loud when you want to, Rei-chan," Naruto complained, rubbing his ear.

"Sorry about that," Reika said, a small smile on her face. "I had to get your attention somehow. Come on, we've got to find that duck-ass Uchiha so we can get those bells."

Naruto stood.

"You figured out the test?" he asked and the way he said it made her think he'd already had an idea himself.

"I think, what about you?"

Naruto nodded hesitantly. "I think so. I think the test is about teamwork, alone we wont stand a chance against someone his level but together... dattebayo."

"Yeah," Reika said, nodding. "I believe so to."

**.**

**.**

**.**

Kakashi watched the two run off into the trees, and smirked.

He would admit the two had talent, he'd been concerned that the files he had on Naruto's skills may be true, but it seemed quite a bit was biased opinion. He may have been dead last, but he had the potential many before him had – like Jiraiya of the Sannin for example.

Reika's skills matched her files pretty well, though obviously not a lot was known of her bloodlimit. He'd not expected her to have such a defensive and offensive technique already in her arsenal. With her bloodline being a first generation as it was.

He also hadn't expected to freeze momentarily. Many people used chains as weapons, but only one person he knew could create chains from chakra.

The two techniques were vastly different, one was manifested from the body and was similar to a kekkei genkai itself, the other was a technique created for a bloodlimit. While Reika appeared to have control of the chains it also seemed to zap a lot of chakra from her, and they did not come from her body but the ground around her.

Both protecting her and attacking for her. The fire coating the chains Reika had created was also something else.

All in all, Kakashi thought if Kushina were still alive the two redheads would have gotten along like a forest on fire. That was a frightening thought.

Sasuke's skills were the ones he had yet to see, but he knew that would change. He would have to see about taking Reika or Naruto out of the game first though. Both had figured out the test, which was a little surprising.

He'd given the test many times in the past, not one genin had figured it out. Even more surprising was Naruto hadn't fallen for his 'lost bell' trap. He'd really been looking forward to catching one of the three in that trap.

Kakashi headed in the direction Reika and Naruto had disappeared in, and chuckled. He may begin to like these three after all.

**.**

**.**

**.**

An hour after he began the test he stood before the group of genin. In the center of them Sasuke sat tied up, in the end it had been a hard decision on who to tie up.

Out of all the teams he'd failed these three showed potential, the only reason Sasuke had been tied up was his refusal to work with Naruto and Reika.

After he'd chased Reika and Naruto down he'd placed Reika into a genjutsu, which had startled her so badly she nearly blacked out. He wasn't positive what she'd seen, but being her worst nightmare the genjutsu drew out he had the idea that he may have gone too far.

He'd thought with her age she feared what most new genin did, the loss of family or a teammate. It was actually Naruto who disrupted the genjutsu, either on purpose or accident Kakashi wasn't sure, but after that he'd decided to confront Sasuke.

He'd been impressed with what the last Uchiha knew. His taijutsu was above his teammates, and his speed was matched only by Reika. The same may be said about ninjutsu, though all three seemed to know at least one impressive ninjutsu.

Reika had a impressive taijutsu style waiting to develop, and the same could be said for Naruto with the proper training.

"Well, I guess you three don't need to worry about failing," Kakashi said, arms crossed over his chest. At their hopeful eyes he smirked under his mask. "You should drop out of the program. None of you have what it takes to succeed as ninja."

Not true, but their reaction to his words was amusing.

"What!" Naruto shouted, gritting his teeth together as he glared at the silvery-gray haired man. "What do you mean by that, dattebayo!?"

"I wont quit," Reika snapped, eyes nearly thin slits with how fierce her glare was. Her hands fisted at her side. "I WONT QUIT DAMMIT! OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Sasuke didn't say anything but he did show more emotion than usual with his angry glare and grinding teeth.

Kakashi sighed, glancing up at the blue sky before he spoke.

"Only Naruto and Reika had any idea of the point of this test, and even they failed to use this knowledge properly," he began. " You should quit because you don't have what it takes. Are you guys underestimating ninjas? Huh?"

He looked at the now confused genin and continued.

"Why do you think you're placed into teams, why you are doing this training? The answer to this test, I know you and Reika somewhat have an understanding of the answer but even you two failed to use it to your advantage. I admit it was good for you two to try and convince Sasuke though."

"What is the answer then, Kakashi?" Sasuke demanded.

"Teamwork, the answer is teamwork," Kakashi said. "The three of you may have been able to take these bells if you'd worked together."

"But... I see we were set up to fight each other from the beginning. Thats why there is only two," Sasuke said, and Kakashi nodded.

"pretty much, but the end of the test if you had gotten the bells was actually to see if you would leave one of your teammates behind by keeping a bell for yourself."

Reika's eyes widened in realization and she said, "The true test is teamwork and sacrifice."

"Exactly. As I said, you and Naruto got the idea but you failed to properly work together to fight me. Reika, you let your temper get the better of you. You allowed your guard to drop, more than once, and were recklessly dependent on Naruto to get you out of a genjutsu."

He turned his gaze to the blonde on the other side of Sasuke.

"Naruto, like Reika you allowed your temper to run away from you, as well as your pride. You hardly thought before attacking recklessly. You and Reika did discover the point of the test though and tried to get Sasuke to work with you, for that alone I applaud you."

Finally he turned his attention to the one tied to the stump.

"Sasuke... you just assumed the others would get in your way and tried to do everything by yourself. You only _allowed _Reika and Naruto to help you out of the hole I buried you in. You didn't even ask you demanded they help you, not even caring that if this were a real life battle situation you'd probably be the bait to trap all three of you and your demand would have killed you all. Assuming the enemy-nin hadn't finished you off while you were stuck in the ground."

"Individual ability is very important, that's true, but what is even more important is the ability to work with a team." He took a step forward. "Individual play that disrupts the team can put you and your comrades in danger. Even get you killed... for example..."

Kakashi disappeared, reappearing behind Reika. His arm wrapped around her neck before she could blink, and she gasped as she was yanked up and suddenly stood in front of the two boys. She was forced onto the ground with her head yanked back and a sharp blade at her throat.

"Naruto, kill Sasuke or Reika dies!"

"What!?" Naruto yelled, both of the boys were shocked and exchanged looks.

"Mm, you see?" Kakashi said, removing his kunai from Reika's neck and hand from her hair. "If a hostage is taken, you'll need to make a tough choice... and then probably die. You will risk your lives and those of you teammates in these duties to the village. This is no longer the Academy, child's play ends today."

Kakashi turned and walked over to a large stone slab with names carved onto it.

"Look at this. Carved here on this stone are the numerous names of heroes of the village," he said.

Naruto looked at the stone and would have usually said something about being placed on that stone one day, finally seen as a hero... but then he recognized it. When the Hokage had told him of his mother and he'd asked where she was buried he had pointed him to the right places.

One was where her tombstone was, but there was another place he said he could find her name. On the village memorial of village heroes.

He realized just after opening his mouth to exclaim his words that the stone Kakashi stood before was the stone he'd seen his mothers name written. The village memorial stone. All those heroes were the dead kind...

"They're not like others heroes though," Kakashi stated, turning to glance back at the three of them. "They are all heroes who died while on duty. This is a memorial... my best friend's names are also carved on here."

There was a silence among them all, and then Kakashi turned and spoke once more.

"You'll have one last chance. After lunch, but I'll make it even tougher to get the bells this time. Those who still wish to challenge me can eat lunch, but don't give any to Sasuke. If anyone does they fail immediately. Got it?"

The three genin nodded and he disappeared. Opening the bento Reika and Naruto began to eat, Rei more slowly than Naruto. Glancing at Sasuke she noticed how stoic he appeared, but he twitched with every bite that Naruto or she took.

Shaking her head she placed a bit of the food between her chop sticks and offered it to the raven haired boy. He looked at her startled, and Naruto's eyes nearly bugged out.

"Rei-chan what are you doing?" Naruto asked. "Sensei said..."

"Screw what he said. I don't buy a damn bit of it," Reika said, lips pursed into a thin line as she stuck her nose slightly into the air. "He said this was about teamwork and sacrifice... well Sasuke can't help us get those bells if he's weakened because he hadn't eaten enough. Think about it Naruto-kun."

Naruto frowned and did as she asked, thinking about it. She was right, he realized quickly. He'd been so stuck on finally being able to eat a meal, other than the apples from a few hours ago, that he hadn't even thought about it.

"You're right," Naruto said, pulling a kunai from his side. "I'll cut him free... his pride probably wouldn't survive being fed by us."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes but did little more than grunt. Just as Naruto's kunai cut the ropes around him, a chilly air appeared along with Kakashi. They all became alert but soon it faded when he gave them his signature eye-smile.

"You three... pass!"


End file.
